10-27-23 

tihx<xvy  of  t:he  t:heolo0ical  ^tminaxy 

PRINCETON  •  NEW  JERSEY 

Presented  by  the  widow  of 
BV  4531  .H6  »^^ 
Hodge,  Charles,  1797-1878. 
The  way  of  life 


RtV.  GEORGE  DUGAN, 

TROY.  N.  Y 
NINTH  PRESByT£RiA.N  CHURCH. 


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I' 

THE 


WAY  OF  LIFE. 


CHARLES  HODGE, 


PROFESSOR  IN  THE  THEOLOGICAL  SEMLNABY,  PRINCETON,  N.  J. 


WITH  AN 


giu»ti)tial  ^mUK. 


WBITTEX  FOE  THE  AMERICAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  UNION,  AND  KEVISED  BY  THE 
COMMITTEE  OF  PUBLICATION. 


NEAA/-  EDITION. 


1893. 


PHILADELPHIA: 
AMERICAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  UNION, 

No.  1122  Chestnut  Street. 


NEW   YORK: 

Nos.  8  &  10  Bible  House,  Astor  Place. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1869,  by  the 

AMERICAN  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  UNION, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Eastern 
District  of  Pennsylvania. 


PREFACE. 


It  is  one  of  the  clearest  principles  of  divine 
revelation,  that  holiness  is  the  fruit  of  truth ; 
and  it  is  one  of  the  plainest  inferences  from 
that  principle,  that  the  exhibition  of  the  truth 
is  the  best  means  of  promoting  holiness.  Chris- 
tians regard  the  word  of  God  as  the  only 
infallible  teacher  of  those  truths  which  relate 
to  the  salvation  of  men.  But  are  the  Scrip- 
tures really  a  revelation  from  God?  If  they 
are,  what  doctrines  do  they  teach?  And  what 
influence  should  those  doctrines  exert  on  our 
heart  and  life? 

The   publishing   committee  of  the  American 

Sunday-school  Union  have  long  felt  the  want 

of  a  book  which    should   give  a  plain  answer 

to  these  questions,  and  be  suitable  to  place  in 

1*  5 


6  PKEFACE. 

the  hands  of  intelligent  and  educated  young 
persons,  either  to  arouse  their  attention,  or  to 
guide  their  steps  in  the  ttay  of  life. 

The  following  work  has  been  prepared  at 
the  request  of  the  committee,  with  the  hope 
that  it  may  in  some  measure  answer  the 
l^urpose  just  stated.  In  a  Christian  country 
it  might  seem  unnecessary  to  raise  the  ques- 
tion whether  the  Scriptures  are  the  word  of 
God.  But  those  w^ho  have  had  much  inter- 
course with  young  men,  know  that  even  among 
those  w^ho  have  been  religiously  educated, 
there  is  more  or  less  skepticism  upon  this 
point;  and  w^here  there  is  no  absolute  skep- 
ticism, there  is  often  an  impression  that  the 
evidence  of  the  divine  origin  of  the  Bible  is 
not  so  decisive  as  it  might,  or  even  should 
be.  Hence  it  is  that  the  want  of  faith  is 
seldom  felt  to  be  a  great  sin.  It  was  there- 
fore deemed  important  that  the  question.  Why 
we  are  bound  to  believe  the  Bible  to  be  the 
word  of  God?  should  be  distinctly,  though 
briefly,  answered. 


PREFACE.  7 

The  still  more  compreliensive  question,  What 
do  the  Scriptures  teach  ?  is  of  course  here 
considered  only  in  reference  to  those  great 
practical  doctrines  which  are  essential  to  evan- 
gelical religion,  viz.  the  doctrines  of  sin,  justi- 
fication, faith,  repentance  and  holy  living. 

With  regard  to  the  influence  which  these 
doctrines  should  exert  upon  the  heart  and  life, 
or,  in  other  words,  with  regard  to  religious 
experience,  reference  might  be  made  to  the 
numerous  records  of  the  exercises  of  the  peo- 
ple of  God,  or  to  what  we  see  daily  in  his 
church.  As,  however,  the  Scriptures  them- 
selves not  only  teach  us  what  the  truth  is, 
but  also  how  it  operates  upon  an  enlight- 
ened conscience  and  believing  heart,  our  safest 
appeal  is  to  them.  It  is  there  that  we  can 
best  learn  how  we  ought  to  feel  and  act  in 
view  of  what  the  Bible  teaches  us  of  sin, 
of  justification,  faith  and  repentance;  since 
genuine  religious  experience  is  simply  the  ac- 
cordance of  our  views  and  feelings  with  the 
truth  of  God. 


8  PREFACE. 

If  this  little  book  should  be  instrumental, 
by  the  simple  exhibition  of  the  truth,  of 
pointing  out  the  way  of  life  to  those  who 
are  anxious  to  know  what  they  must  believe 
and  what  they  must  experience  in  order  to 
be  saved,  it  will  answer  the  design  of  its 
preparation  and  publication. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  SCRIPTURES  ARE  THE  WORD  OF  GOD. 


TAG% 


Sec.  I. — The  Internal  Evidence  of  the  Divine   Origin 

of  the  Scriptures 13 

n. — The  Internal  Evidence  of  their  Divine  Origin 
is  the  proper  Ground  of  Faith  in  the  Scrip- 
tures      26 

m. — External   Evidence  of   the   Divine    Origin  of 
the    Scriptures  —  The    Testimony    of    the 

Church 34 

IV. — The  Argument  from  Prophecy 40 

CHAPTER  II. 

SIN. 

Sec.  I. — All  Men  axe  Sinners — The  Nature  of  Man, 

since  the  Fall,  is  depraved 56 

II. — The  Sins  of  Men  are  numerous  and  aggra- 
vated       65 


10  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   III. 

CAUSES   OF  INDIFFERENCE   TO   THE   CHARGE   OF    SIN. 

PAGE 

Sec  I. — Sin — Want  of  Consideration — Striving  against 

the  Spirit 82 

n. — Sophistical'  Objections  against  the  Doctrines  of 

the  Bible 87 


CHAPTER  IV. 

CONVICTION  OF   SIN. 

Sec.  I. — Knowledge   of    Sin — Sense   of   Personal    Ill- 
desert 107 

II. — Insufficiency  of  our   own   Righteousness    and 

of  our  own  Strength 124 


CHAPTER  y. 

JUSTIFICATION. 

Sec.  I. — Importance  of  the  Doctrine — Explanation  of 
the  Scriptural  Terms  relating  to  it — Justi- 
fication is  not  by  "Works 135 

II. — The  Demands  of  the  Law  are  satisfied  by  what 

Christ  has  done 151 

III. — The  Righteousness  of  Christ  the  true  Ground 
of  our  Justification — The  practical  Efiect  of 
the  Doctrine 174 


CONTENTS.  1 L 

CHAPTER  VI. 

FAITH. 


PAGE 


Sec.  I. — Faith    necessary  in    order   to    Salvation — The 

Nature  of  Saving  Faith 188 

II. — Faith,  as  connected  with  Justification 204 


CHAPTER  VII. 
Repentance 215 

CHAPTER  Vin. 

PROFESSION   OF  RELIGION. 

Sec.  I. — The  Nature  and  Necessity  of  a  Public  Profes- 
sion of  Religion 240 

n. — Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper — The  Nature, 

Design  and  Eificacy  of  these  Ordinances 250 

III. — Obligation  to  attend  upon  the  Sacraments — 
Qualifications  for  the  proper  Discharge  of 
the  Duty 270 

CHAPTER  IX. 

HOLY  LIVING. 

Sec.  L— The  Nature  of  True  Religion 286 

II. — The  Means  of  Sanctification 311 


THE 


WAY   OF   LIFE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Section    I. — The  Internal  Evidence  of  the  Divine 
Origin  of  the  Scriptures, 

It  often  happens  that  those  who  hear  the  gos- 
pel, doubt  whether  it  is  really  the  w^ord  of  God. 
Having  been  taught  from  infancy  to  regard  it  as 
a  divine  revelation,  and  knowing  no  sufficient 
reason  for  rejecting  it,  they  yield  a  general  assent 
to  its  claims.  There  are  times,  however,  when 
they  would  gladly  be  more  fully  assured  that  the 
Bible  is  not  a  cunningly  devised  fable.  They 
think  if  that  point  was  absolutely  certain,  they 
would  at  once  submit  to  all  the  gospel  requires. 

Such  doubts  do  not  arise  from  any  deficiency 
in  the  evidence  of  the  divine  authority  of  the 
Scriptures;  nor  would  they  be  removed  by  any 
increase  of  that  evidence.  They  have  their  origin 
in  the  state  of  the  heart.     The  most  important 

2  13 


14  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

of  all  the  evidences  of  Christianity  can  never  be 
properly  appreciated,  unless  the  heart  be  right 
in  the  sight  of  God.  The  same  exhibition  of 
truth  which  produces  unwavering  conviction  in 
one  mind,  leaves  another  in  a  state  of  doubt 
or  unbelief.  And  the  same  mind  often  passes 
rapidly,  though  rationally,  from  a  state  of  skep- 
ticism to  that  of  faith,  without  any  change  in 
the  mere  external  evidence  presented  to  it. 

No  amount  of  mere  external  evidence  can 
produce  genuine  faith.  The  Israelites,  who  had 
seen  a  long  succession  of  wonders  in  the  land 
of  Egypt;  who  had  passed  through  the  divided 
waters  of  the  Ked  Sea;  who  were  daily  receiving 
by  miracle  food  from  heaven ;  who  had  trembled 
at  the  manifestations  of  the  Divine  Majesty  on 
Mount  Sinai;  within  sight  of  that  mountain, 
made  a  golden  calf  their  God.  The  men  who 
saw  the  miracles  of  Christ  performed  almost 
daily  in  their  presence,  cried  out.  Crucify  him, 
crucify  him.  Hence  our  Saviour  said  that  those 
who  hear  not  Moses  and  the  prophets,  would  not 
be  persuaded  though  one  rose  from  the  dead. 
We  may  confidently  conclude,  therefore,  that 
those  who  now  believe  not  the  gospel,  would 
not  be  persuaded  had  they  seen  all  the  miracles 
which  Christ  performed. 

It   is    important   that   the    attention   of   the 
doubting   should   be   directed   to   the   fact  that 
their  want  of  faith  is  to  be  attributed  to  their' 
own  moral  state,  and  not  to  any  deficiency  in' 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  15 

the  evidence  of  the  truth.  If  our  gospel  be 
hid,  says  the  apostle,  it  is  hid  to  them  that 
are  lost;  in  whom  the  god  of  this  world  hath 
blinded  the  minds  of  them  that  believe  not,  lest 
the  light  of  the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ  should 
shine  unto  them. 

There  is  nothing  in  the  doctrine  here  stated, 
out  of  analogy  with  our  daily  experience.  No 
truth  can  be  properly  apprehended  unless  there 
is  a  harmony  between  it  and  the  mind  to  which 
it  is  presented.  Even  abstract  or  speculative 
truths  are  not  seen  to  be  true,  unless  the  under- 
standing be  duly  cultivated  to  apprehend  them. 
With  regard  to  objects  of  taste,  unless  there  is  a 
power  to  perceive  the  correspondence  between 
them  and  the  standard  of  beauty,  there  can  be 
no  appreciation  of  their  excellence.  And  still 
more  obviously  in  regard  to  moral  and  religious 
truth,  there  must  be  a  state  of  mind  suited  to 
their  apprehension.  If  our  moral  sense  were 
entirely  destroyed  by  sin,  we  could  have  no  per- 
ception of  moral  distinctions;  if  it  is  vitiated, 
what  is  true  in  itself  and  true  in  the  view  of  the 
pure  in  heart,  will  not  be  true  to  us.  A  man, 
who  has  no  adequate  sense  of  the  evil  of  sin, 
cannot  believe  in  the  justice  of  God.  If  you 
awaken  his  conscience,  he  is  convinced  at  once, 
without  the  intervention  of  any  process  of  proof. 

No  one  can  fail  to  remark  that  the  Bible 
.iemands  immediate  and  implicit  faith  from  all 
;\4io  read  it.     It  may  lie  neglected  in  the  study 


16  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

of  the  philosopher,  or  in  the  chest  of  the  outcast 
sailor ;  or  it  may  be  given  by  a  missionary  yet 
ignorant  of  the  language  of  the  heathen  to  whom 
he  ministers.  The  moment,  however,  it  is 
opened,  in  these  or  any  other  circumstances,  it 
utters  the  same  calm  voice.  He  that  believeth 
on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life;  he  that  be- 
lieveth not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life,  but  the 
wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him.  If  this  demand 
was  confined  to  the  educated,  we  might  suppose 
it  to  rest  on  evidence  w^hich  the  educated  only 
are  able  to  appreciate;  or  if  it  was  made  of 
those  only  to  whom  the  Scriptures  are  presented 
by  regularly  commissioned  ministers,  we  might 
suppose  it  rested  on  their  authority;  but  it  is 
not  thus  confined.  It  is  inseparable  from  the 
word  itself  It  is  as  imperative  when  the  Bible 
is  read  by  a  child  to  a  company  of  pagans,  as 
when  it  is  proclaimed  in  a  cathedral.  But  if 
this  demand  of  faith  goes  with  the  word  wher- 
ever it  goes,  it  must  rest  upon  evidence  con- 
tained in  the  word  itself.  The  demand  of  faith 
cannot  be  more  extensive,  than  the  exhibition 
of  evidence.  Unless,  therefore,  we  restrict  the 
obligation  and  the  benefits  of  faith  to  those  who 
are  capable  of  appreciating  the  external  evidence 
of  the  Bible,  we  must  admit  that  it  contains  its 
own  evidence. 

To  make  the  testimony  of  others  to  the  truth 
of  Christianity,  the  ground  of  faith,  is  inadmis-^ 
sible  for  two  obvious  reasons.     In  the  first  place, 


THE   '^ORD   OF   GOD.  17 

as  already  intimated,  it  is  not  sufficiently  exten- 
sive. The  obligation  to  believe  rests  on  multi- 
tudes to  whom  that  testimony  is  not  addressed. 
In  the  second  place,  it  is  entirely  inadequate. 
The  great  mass  of  men  cannot  be  required  to 
believe,  on  the  testimony  of  the  learned  few,  a 
religion  which  is  to  control  their  conduct  in  this 
world  and  to  decide  their  destiny  in  the  next. 
Besides,  learned  men  testify  in  behalf  of  the 
Koran  as  well  as  in  favour  of  the  Bible.  That, 
therefore,  cannot  be  an  adequate  ground  of  faith, 
which  may  be  urged  in  support  of  error  as  well 
as  of  truth.  To  require  the  common  people  to 
be  able  to  see  w^hy  the  testimony  of  learned 
Christians  may  safely  be  relied  upon,  while  that 
of  learned  Mussulmans  should  be  rejected,  is  to 
require  of  them  a  task  as  severe  as  the  examina- 
tion of  the  historical  evidences  of  Christianity. 
There  is,  therefore,  no  way  of  justifying  the 
universal,  immediate  and.  authoritative  demand, 
which  the  Bible  makes  on  our  faith,  except  by 
admitting  that  it  contains  within  itself  the 
proofs  of  its  divine  origin. 

It  may  not  be  easy,  or  perhaps  possible,  to 
give  any  adequate  exhibition  of  the  nature  of 
this  proof  to  those  who  profess  not  to  see  it. 
Enough  however  may  be  said  to  show  that  it 
is  a  rational  and  adequate  ground  for  implicit 
confidence.  Every  work  bears  the  impress  of 
its  maker.     Even  among  men  it  is  hard  for  one 

man    successfully   to    counterfeit   the   work   of 

2* 


18  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

another.  Is  it  wonderful  then  that  the  works 
of  God  should  bear  the  inimitable  impress  of 
their  author?  Do  not  the  heavens  declare  his 
glory  ?  Does  not  the  mechanism  of  an  insect 
as  clearly  evince  the  workmanship  of  God  ? 
Why  then  should  it  be  deemed  incredible  that 
his  word  should  contain  inherent  evidence  of 
its  divine  origin  ?  If  the  Bible  be  the  work  of 
God,  it  must  contain  the  impress  of  his  charac- 
ter, and  thereby  evince  itself  to  be  divine. 

It  may  be  objected  that  we  are  not  compe- 
tent to  judge  of  this  evidence.  If  it  requires 
so  much  cultivation  of  the  intellect  to  judge  of 
the  excellence  of  human  productions,  and  so 
accurate  an  acquaintance  with  the  character 
of  their  authors,  in  order  to  decide  on  the 
genuineness  of  such  productions,  who  can  pre- 
tend to  a  knowledge  of  God  which  shall  enable 
him  to  judge  what  is,  or  what  is  not  worthy  of 
his  hand?  This  would  be  a  fatal  objection  if 
the  internal  evidence  of  the  Scriptures  consisted 
in  their  intellectual  excellence.  It  loses  its 
force  however  when  it  is  remembered  that  this 
excellence  is,  in  a  great  measure,  moral,  and 
that  goodness  carries  with  it  its  own  evidence. 
To  appreciate  evidence  of  'this  kind  requires  no 
great  degree  of  knowledge  or  refinement.  It 
requires  merely  right  moral  feelings.  Where 
these  exist,  the  evidence  that  goodness  is  good- 
ness is  immediate  and  irresistible.  It  is  not 
because  the  Bible   is  written  with   more  thau 


THE   WORD   OF    GOD.  19 

human  skill,  and  that  its  discrimination  of 
character  or  its  eloquence  is  beyond  the  powers 
of  man,  that  we  believe  it  to  be  divine.  These 
are  matters  of  which  the  mass  of  men  are  in- 
competent judges.  The  evidence  in  question  is 
suited  to  the  apprehension  of  the  humblest  child 
of  God.  It  is  partly  negative  and  partly  posi- 
tive. It  consists,  in  the  first  place,  in  the 
absence  of  every  thing  incompatible  with  a 
divine  oris-in.  There  is  nothin2:  inconsistent 
with  reason,  and  there  is  nothing  inconsistent 
with  goodness.  Did  the  Scriptures  contain  any 
thing  contrary  to  reason  or  to  right  moral  feel- 
ing, belief  in  its  divine  origin  would  be  impos- 
sible. Such  a  belief  would  involve  the  ascrip- 
tion of  folly  or  sin  to  its  author.  There  is 
more  iti  this  negative  evidence  than  we  are  apt 
to  imagine.  It  cannot  be  urged  in  behalf  of 
any  other  book  but  the  Bible,  claiming  a  divine 
origin.  An  impassable  gulf  is  thus  placed  be- 
tween the  Scriptures  and  all  apocryphal  writ- 
ings. The  claims  of  the  latter  are  in  every 
instance  disproved  by  the  fact  that  they  contain 
statements  which  cannot  be  true. 

It  is  however  the  positive  internal  evidence 
of  a  divine  origin,  which  gives  power  and 
authority  to  the  claims  of  the  Bible.  This 
evidence  consists  mainly  in  its  perfect  holiness, 
in  the  correspondence  between  all  its  statements 
respecting  God,  man,  redemption  and  a  future 
state,  and  all  our  own  right  judgments,  reason- 


20  THE    SCRIPTURES, 

able  apprehensions  and  personal  experience. 
When  the  mind  is  enlightened  to  see  this  holi- 
ness ;  when  it  perceives  how  exactly  the  rule  of 
duty  prescribed  in  the  word  of  God  agrees  with 
that  enforced  by  conscience;  how  the  account 
which  it  gives  of  human  nature  coincides  with 
human  experience;  how  fully  it  meets  our 
whole  case;  when  it  feels  how  powerfully  the 
truths  there  presented  operate  to  purify,  console 
and  sustain  the  soul,  the  belief  of  the  Scriptures 
is  a  necessary  consequence.  The  idea  that  such 
a  book  is  a  lie  and  a  forgery  involves  a  contra- 
diction. The  human  mind  is  so  constituted  that 
it  cannot  refuse  its  assent  to  evidence,  when 
clearly  perceived.  We  cannot  withhold  our 
confidence  from  a  man  whose  moral  excellence 
is  plainly,  variously  and  constantly  manifested. 
We  cannot  see  and  feel  his  goodness,  and  yet 
believe  him  to  be  an  impostor  or  deceiver.  In 
like  manner,  we  cannot  see  the  excellence  of 
the  Scriptures,  and  yet  believe  them  to  be  one 
enormous  falsehood.  The  Bible  claims  to  be 
the  word  of  God;  it  speaks  in  his  name,  it 
assumes  his  authority.  How  can  these  claims 
be  false  and  yet  the  Bible  be  so  holy?  How 
can  falsehood  be  an  element  of  perfect  excel- 
lence ?  The  only  possible  way  of  shaking  our 
confidence  in  the  competent  testimony  of  a  man, 
is  to  show  that  he  is  not  a  good  man.  If  his 
goodness  is  admitted,  confidence  in  his  word 
cannot  be  withheld,  and  especially  when  all  he 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  21 

says  finds  its  confirmation  in  our  own  experi- 
ence, and  commends  itself  to  our  conscience  and 
judgment.  Thus  also  it  is  impossible  that  we 
should  discern  the  excellence  of  the  Scriptures 
and  feel  their  correspondence  with  our  experi- 
ence and  necessities,  and  yet  suppose  them  to 
be  untrue. 

When  the  woman  of  Samaria  reported  to  her 
townsmen  that  Jesus  had  told  her  all  that  ever 
she  did,  many  of  them  believed.  But  after 
they  had  themselves  listened  to  his  instructions, 
they  said  to  the  woman.  Now  we  believe,  not 
because  of  thy  saying,  for  we  have  heard  him 
ourselves,  and  know  that  this  is  indeed  the 
Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world.*  No  Chris- 
tian  can  be  surprised  at  this  declaration,  or 
think  the  faith  in  Christ  founded  upon  what 
he  said,  either  irrational  or  enthusiastic.  We 
can  well  believe  that  there  was  such  an  inef- 
fable manifestation  of  goodness  in  the  Redeem- 
er's countenance,  manner  and  doctrines,  as  to 
conciliate  entire  confidence.  Those  who  were 
rightly  affected  could  not  fail  to  believe  all  he 
said ;  that  he  was  the  Christ,  that  he  came  to 
seek  and  save  them  that  are  lost,  to  lay  down 
his  life  for  his  sheep,  and  to  give  himself  a  ran- 
som for  many.  Can  we  doubt  that  the  good- 
ness of  the  Saviour,  the  elevation,  holiness  and 
power  of  his  instructions,  their  correspondence 

*  John  iv.  42. 


22  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

with  our  own  nature,  experience  and  wants, 
would  of  themselves  constitute  an  adequate 
ground  of  faith  ?  All  this  we  have.  This 
every  man  has,  who  reads  the  Bible.  There 
the  Saviour  stands  in  the  majesty  of  unap- 
proachable excellence.  He  utters  in  every 
hearing  ear  the  words  of  eternal  life ;  declares 
his  origin,  his  mission,  the  design  of  his  advent 
and  death ;  offers  pardon  and  eternal  life  to 
those  who  come  unto  God  through  him.  There 
is  the  most  perfect  accordance  between  his 
claims  and  his  conduct;  between  his  doctrines 
and  what  we  know  and  what  we  need.  To 
disbelieve  him,  is  to  believe  him  to  be  a  de- 
ceiver, and  to  believe  this,  is  to  disbelieve  our 
own  perceptions;  for  we  know  what  goodness 
is,  and  we  know  that  goodness  cannot  deceive, 
that  God  cannot  lie. 

It  makes  very  little  difference  as  to  the  force 
of  this  kind  of  evidence,  whether  we  personally 
saw  and  heard  the  Saviour  for  ourselves,  or 
whether  we  read  the  exhibition  of  his  character 
and  the  record  of  his  instructions.  For  the 
evidence  lies  in  his  goodness  and  in  the  nature 
of  his  doctrines.  It  is  the  same  to  us  who  read 
the  Bible,  as  it  was  to  those  that  heard  the 
Saviour.  There  is  therefore  the  same  violence 
done  to  reason  and  duty,  in  our  rejecting  it,  as 
was  offered  by  those  who  believed  not  because 
they  were  not  of  his  sheep,  that  is,  because 
they  were  insensible  to  the  constraining  in  flu- 


THE   "^rORD   OF   GOD.  23 

ejnce  of  the  grace  and  truth  which  were  in  him. 
Does  then  any  one  ask.  How  we  know  that  the 
Bible  is  not  a  forgery  ?  Let  him  consider  what 
such  an  assumption  involves.  It  supposes  either 
that  the  authors  of  the  Bible  were  fools,  which 
we  can  no  more  believe  than  that  Newton  was 
an  idiot;  or  that  they  were  wicked,  which  no 
man  can  believe  w^io  knows  what  goodness  is. 
Wherever,  therefore,  the  Bible  goes,  it  carries 
with  it  evidence,  that  is  irresistible,  (when  at- 
tended to  and  appreciated,)  that  its  authors 
w^ere  neither  dupes  nor  deceivers. 

It  may  be  asked,  If  the  Bible  contains  such 
clear  evidence  of  its  divine  origin,  why  are 
there  so  many  unbelievers?  To  this  it  may 
be  answered,  that  there  are  two  things  neces- 
sary in  order  that  evidence  should  produce  con- 
viction. The  first  is  that  it  should  be  attended 
to;  otherwise  it  might  as  well  not  exist.  Of 
the  many  millions  of  people  in  Christendom, 
comparatively  few  give  the  Scriptures  any  seri- 
ous attention.  That  such  persons  should  have 
no  effective  faith,  is  no  more  a  matter  of  sur- 
prise than  that  they  should  be  ignorant  of  what 
they  never  learned.  The  second  requisite  for 
the  reception  of  evidence,  is  that  it  should  be 
understood  or  really  apprehended.  If  this  evi- 
dence is  addressed  to  the  understanding,  there 
must  be  strength  of  mind  enough  to  compre- 
hend its  nature  and  bearing;  if  addressed  to 
the  moral  faculty,  there  must  be  moral  sensi- 


24  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

bilitj  to  appreciate  it,  or  it  will  be  like  light 
shining  on  the  eyes  of  the  blind.  The  internal 
evidence  of  the  Scriptures  is  in  a  great  measure 
of  this  latter  kind.  It  consists  in  their  perfect 
holiness.  In  proportion  as  men  are  corrupt, 
they  are  blind  to  this  kind  of  evidence.  It 
may  exist  in  all  its  force,  and  men  be  insen- 
sible to  it.  Another  part  of  this  evidence  con- 
sists in  the  accordance  between  the  Scriptures 
and  the  religious  experience  of  men.  Those 
who  have  not  the  experience,  cannot  see  this 
accordance.  Still  another  portion  of  the  evi- 
dence is  made  available  by  the  power  of  God 
in  subduing  sin,  in  purifying  the  affections,  in 
diffusing  peace  and  joy  through  the  heart. 
Those  w^ho  have  never  felt  this  power  cannot 
appreciate  this  kind  of  proof.  The  fact,  there- 
fore, that  so  large  a  proportion  of  mankind 
have  no  adequate  faith  in  the  Scriptures, 
affords  no  presumption  against  the  existence 
of  sufficient  evidence.  This  fact  is  in  exact 
accordance  with  what  the  Bible  teaches  of  the 
moral  state  of  man. 

Another  objection  to  the  view  of  the  ground 
of  faith  given  above,  is  that  it  leads  to  enthu- 
siasm, and  breaks  down  the  distinction  between 
true  and  false  religion.  Every  enthusiast,  it  is 
said,  thinks  he  sees  wonderful  excellence  in 
the  pretended  revelations  which  he  embraces. 
It  is  a  sufficient  answer  to  this  objection  to  ask, 
whether  the  scholar  has  less  faith  in  the  excel- 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  25 

lence  of  the  great  standards  of  poetry,  because 
the  writers  of  doggerel  rhymes  have  had  their 
admirers?  That  the  sensual,  selfish  and  cruel 
character  of  Mohammed  appears  good  in  the 
eyes  of  a  Turk,  does  not  prove  him  to  be  an 
enthusiast  who  bows  with  reverence  before  the 
supreme  excellence  of  Jesus  Christ.  That  the 
pagan  world  saw  evidence  of  the  existence  of 
their  gods  in  the  heavens  and  in  the  course  of 
nature,  does  not  make  him  an  enthusiast  who 
recos^nises  in  the  works  of  God  the  manifesta- 
tions  of  infinite  power,  wisdom  and  goodness. 
It  is  most  unreasonable  to  assume  that  we  must 
not  feel  the  force  of  truth  and  excellence,  be- 
cause others  have  ascribed  these  attributes  to 
error  and  vice.  It  is  not  according  to  the 
constitution  of  our  nature  that  one  man  should 
cease  to  know  a  thing  to  be  true  or  good, 
because  others  do  not  see  it.  The  evidence 
is  complete  for  him,  though  all  the  world 
reject  it. 

If  it  is  asked,  where  the  standard  is;  what 
criterion  of  excellence  exists  by  which  I  am 
authorized  to  decide  that  what  I  call  goodness 
is  really  such ;  the  rule  is  given  in  the  nature 
of  man.  We  know  that  benevolence  is  better 
than  malice,  veracity  than  deceit,  humility 
than  pride,  and  by  the  same  rule  we  know 
that  Christianity  is  better  than  Hindooism,  and 
the  blessed  Redeemer  than  the  Arabian  impos- 
tor.    No  judgment  cau  be  more  sure  than  this, 

3 


26  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

no  persuasion  more  intimate,  no  confidence 
either  more  firm  or  more  rational.  It  is, 
therefore,  no  objection  against  admitting  the 
excellence  of  the  Scriptures  to  be  a  proof  of 
their  divine  origin,  that  besotted  or  deluded 
men  have  ascribed  excellence  to  folly  and 
wickedness. 


Section  II. — The  Internal  Evidence  of  their  Divine 
Origin  is  the  proper  G-round  of  Faith  in  the 
Scrip)tures. 

The  Scriptures  themselves  clearly  teach  that 
the  faith  which  they  demand  is  founded  upon 
the  authority  of  God,  manifesting  itself  in  them 
by  the  excellence  and  power  of  the  truth  which 
they  contain.  They  everywhere  represent  faith 
as  the  effect  and  evidence  of  right  moral  feeling, 
and 'unbelief  as  the  result  of  moral  or  spiritual 
blindness.  Our  Saviour  said  to  the  Jews,  If 
any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the 
doctrine  whether  it  be  of  God.*  Again,  He 
that  is  of  God,  heareth  God's  words;  ye  there- 
fore hear  them  not  because  ye  are  not  of  God.f 
On  another  occasion  he  said.  Ye  believe  not, 
because  ye  are  not  of  my  sheep ;  my  sheep  hear 
my  voice, J  The  apostle  speaks  to  the  same 
effect,  Hereby  know  ye  the  Spirit  of  God. 
Every  spirit  that  confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ 

*  John  vii.  17.  f  John  viii.  47.  %  John  x.  26,  27. 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  .27 

is  come  in  the  flesh,  is  of  God.  We  are  of 
God.  He  that  knoweth  God  heareth  us;  he 
that  is  not  of  God  heareth  not  us.  Hereby 
we  know  the  spirit  of  truth  and  the  spirit  of 
error.*  In  like  manner  Paul  says,  The  natu- 
ral man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the  Spirit 
of  God ;  for  they  are  .foolishness  unto  him, 
neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are 
spiritually  discerned.f  And  again,  If  our  gos- 
pel be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost;  in 
whom  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the 
eyes  of  them  that  believe  not,  lest  the  light  of 
the  glorious  gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image 
of  God,  should  shine  unto  them.  But  God, 
who  commanded  the  light  to  shine  out  of 
darkness,  hath  shined  in  our  hearts  to  give 
the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God 
in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.J  The  doctrine 
taught  in  these  and  similar  passages,  is  that 
there  is  in  the  word  of  God,  and  especially  in 
the  person  and  ^character  of  Jesus  Christ,  a 
clear  and  w^onderful  manifestation  of  the  divine 
glory.  To  this  manifestation  the  natural  man 
is  blind,  and  therefore  does  not  believe,  but 
those  who  have  the  Spirit  of  God  discern  this 
glory,  and  therefore  believe. 

It  is  in  accordance  with  this  view  that  unbe- 
lief is  represented  as  so  grave  a  moral  offence, 
and  faith  as  so  important  a  duty.     Atheism  is 

*  1  John  iv.  2,  3.  f  1  Cor.  ii.  14.  X  2  Cor.  iv.  3-8. 


28  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

everywhere  regarded  as  a  crime,  because  the 
evidences  of  the  existence  of  God  are  every- 
where present,  above  us,  around  us  and  within 
us.  They  are  addressed  to  the  moral  constitu- 
tion, as  well  as  to  the  speculative  understanding. 
They  cannot  be  resisted  without  the  same  vio- 
lence to  moral  obligations,  or  the  authority  of 
moral  considerations,  that  is  involved  in  calling 
virtue  vice,  and  vice  virtue.  Hence  the  Scrip- 
tures always  speak  of  unbelief  as  a  sin  against 
God,  and  the  special  ground  of  the  condemna- 
tion of  the  world.  He  that  believeth  on  him 
is  not  condemned,  but  he  that  believeth  not 
is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  not 
believed  in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son 
of  God.*  Who  is  a  liar,  but  he  that  denieth 
that  Jesus  is  the  Christ?  He  is  anti-Christ, 
that  denieth  the  Father  and  the  Son.  Who- 
soever denieth  the  Son,  the  same  hath  not  the 
Father.f  Disbelief  of  the  Son  as  revealed  in 
the  Scriptures,  is  an  offence  of  the  same  nature 
as  the  denial  of  God.  In  both  cases  supreme 
excellence  is  revealed  and  disregarded.  Much 
to  the  same  effect  the  Saviour  says,  He  that 
liateth  me,  hateth  my  Father  also. J  On  the 
other  hand,  faith  is  represented  as  the  highest 
act  of  obedience,  as  a  moral  act  of  the  greatest 
worth  in  the  sight  of  God.    Whosoever  believeth 


*  John  iii.  18.  f  1  John  ii.  22,  23. 

X  John  XV.  23. 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  29 

that  Jesus  is  the  Christ  is  born  of  God.*  As 
many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power 
to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them 
that  believe  on  his  name.f  And  our  Saviour 
told  the  inquiring  Jews,  This  is  the  work  of 
God,  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  he  hath 
sent.J  These  representations  cannot  be  recon- 
ciled with  the  assumption  that  faith  is  founded 
on  external  testimony,  which  does  not  address 
itself  to  our  moral  nature,  and  an  assent  to 
which  has  so  little  concern  with  moral  charac- 
ter. All  is  plain,  however,  if  we  are  required 
to  believe  in  the  Son  because  his  glory  as  of  the 
only  begotten  of  the  Father  is  presented  to  us ; 
and  to  receive  the  Scriptures  because  they  bear 
the  impress  of  the  divine  perfections.  If  this 
be  the  ground  of  faith,  unbelief  is  indeed  a 
crime.  It  is  a  refusal  to  recognise  wisdom 
and  holiness,  and  to  acknowledge  the  mani- 
fested excellence  of  God. 

This  view  of  the  ground  of  faith  is  confirmed 
by  the  effects  ascribed  to  that  grace.  It  works 
by  love,  it  purifies  the  heart,  it  overcomes  the 
world,  it  produces  peace  and  joy.  It  is  indeed 
conceivable  that  the  conviction  of  truths  affect- 
ing our  interests,  however  produced,  should  call 
forth  fear,  sorrow  or  joy  according  to  their 
nature.  But  it  is  not  conceivable  that  belief 
of  moral  or  religious  truths,  founded  upon  the 


*  1  John  V.  1.  t  John  i.  12.  |  John  vi.  29. 

3* 


30  THE    SCRIPTURES. 

testimony  of  others,  should  control  our  affec- 
tions. A  man  may  believe  on  authority,  or 
on  merely  rational  grounds,  that  we  are  under 
a  moral  government,  and  that  the  law  by  which 
we  are  bound  is  holy,  just  and  good,  but  such 
a  faith  will  not  subdue  his  opposition.  He 
may  be,  by  argument  or  miracle,  convinced  of 
the  existence  of  God,  but  such  a  faith  will  not 
produce  love.  Faith  therefore  cannot  have  the 
effects  ascribed  to  it,  unless  it  is  founded  on  a 
spiritual  apprehension  of  the  truths  believed. 

Hence  it  is  that  fliith  is  represented  as  the 
gift  of  God.  The  evidence  indeed  is  presented 
to  all,  or  there  would  be  no  obligation  to 
believe ;  but  men  are  morally  blind,  and  there- 
fore the  eyes  of  their  understanding  must  be 
opened,  that  they  may  understand  the  things 
which  are  freely  given  to  tliem  of  God.  The 
apostle  therefore  says  to  his  believing  brethren, 
Ye  have  an  unction  from  the  Holy  One,  and 
ye  know  all  things.  I  have  not  written  unto 
you,  because  ye  know  not  the  truth,  but  be- 
cause ye  know  it,  and  that  no  lie  is  of  the 
truth.  The  anointing  which  ye  have  received 
of  him  abideth  in  you,  and  ye  need  not  that 
any  man  teach  you :  but  as  the  same  anoint- 
ing teacheth  you  of  all  things,  and  is  truth, 
and  is  no  lie,  and  even  as  it  hath  taught  you, 
ye  shall  abide  in  him.*     It  is  here  taught,  as 


*  1  John  ii.  20,  21, 27. 


THE   WORD   OF.  GOD.  31 

in  other  passages  already  quoted,  that  helievers 
are  the  recipients  of  an  influence,  an  unction, 
from  the  Holy  One,  which  convinces  them  of 
the  truth,  and  makes  them  see  and  know  that 
it  is  truth.  Hence  Paul  says,  his  preaching 
was  not  with  the  enticing  words  of  man's  wis- 
dom, but  in  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit 
and  of  power;  that  the  faith  of  his  hearers 
might  not  stand  in  the  wisdom  of  men,  but  in 
the  power  of  God ;  that  is,  that  their  faith 
might  not  be  the  effect  of  skilful  reasoning, 
but  of  the  spiritual  perception  and  experience 
of  the  truth. 

All  this  is  confirmed  by  the  constant  practice 
of  the  inspired  teachers.  Though  they  appealed 
to  all  kinds  of  evidence  in  support  of  the  doc- 
trines which  they  taught,  to  signs  and  wonders, 
and  divers  miracles  and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost> 
yet  they  by  no  means  rested  the  obligation  to 
believe  either  exclusively  or  mainly  upon  these 
external  signs.  In  many  cases  faith  was  de- 
manded by  those  inspired  men  who  never 
wrought  miracles  of  any  kind,  as  was  the  fact 
in  the  case  of  some  of  the  prophets;  and  still 
more  frequently  it  was  required  of  those  among 
whom  no  such  wonders  had  been  performed. 
When  the  Jews  demanded  a  sign  and  the 
Greeks  wisdom,  the  apostles  preached  Christ, 
and  him  crucified,  as  the  wisdom  of  God  and 
the  power  of  God  unto  salvation.  Their  con- 
stant  endeavour   was   bv  the   manifestation  of 


32  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

the  truth  to  commend  themselves  to  every 
man's  conscience  in  the  sight  of  God.  And  if 
their  gospel  was  hid,  it  was  hid  to  them  that 
are  lost. 

It  is,  therefore,  plainly  the  doctrine  of  the 
Scriptures  themselves,  that  the  word  of  God  is 
to  be  believed  because  of  the  authority  or  com- 
mand of  God  manifesting  itself  therein,  in  a 
manner  analogous  to  the  exhibition  of  his  per- 
fections in  the  w^orks  of  nature.  If,  as  Paul 
teaches  us,  the  eternal  power  and  godhead  are 
so  clearly  manifested  by  the  things  that  are 
made,  that  even  the  heathen  are  without  ex- 
cuse; and  if  their  unbelief  is  ascribed  not  to 
the  want  of  evidence,  but  to  their  not  liking 
to  retain  God  in  their  knowledge ;  we  need  not 
wonder  that  the  far  clearer  manifestation  of 
the  divine  perfections  made  in  the  Scriptures, 
should  be  the  ground  of  a  more  imperative 
command  to  believe. 

It  is  the  experience  of  true  Christians  in  all 
ages  and  nations  that  their  faith  is  founded  on 
the  spiritual  apprehension  and  experience  of 
the  power  of  the  truth.  There  are  multitudes 
of  such  Christians,  who,  if  asked  why  they 
believe  the  Scriptures  to  be  the  word  of  God, 
might  find  it  difficult  to  give  an  answer,  whose 
faith  is  nevertheless  both  strong  and  rational. 
They  are  conscious  of  its  grounds,  though  they 
may  not  be  able  to  state  them.  They  have 
the  witness  in  themselves,  and  know  that  they 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  33 

believe,  not  because  others  believe,  or  because 
learned  men  have  proved  certain  facts  which 
establish  the  truth  of  Christianity.  They  be- 
lieve in  Christ  for  the  same  reason  that  they 
believe  in  God;  and  they  believe  in  God  because 
they  see  his  glory  and  feel  his  authority  and 
power. 

If  then  the  truth  of  God  contains  in  its  own 
nature  a  revelation  of  divine  excellence,  the  sin 
of  unbelief  is  a  very  great  sin.  Not  to  have 
faith  in  God,  when  clearly  revealed,  is  the 
highest  offence  which  a  creature  can  commit 
against  its  creator.  To  refuse  credence  to  the 
testimony  of  God,  when  conveyed  in  the  man- 
ner best  adapted  to  our  nature,  is  to  renounce 
our  allegiance  to  our  creator.  To  disregard  the 
evidence  of  truth  and  excellence  in  Jesus  Christ, 
is  the  highest  indignity  that  we  can  show  to 
truth  and  excellence.  This  sin  is  common,  and 
therefore  is  commonly  disregarded.  Men  do 
not  easily  see  the  turpitude  of  evils  with  which 
they  are  themselves  chargeable.  The  faults  of 
those  who  go  beyond  them  in  iniquity  they  are 
quick  to  discern.  And  therefore  the  man  who 
feels  no  compunction  at  want  of  faith  in  the 
Son  of  God,  will  abhor  him  who  pronounces 
the  Redeemer  a  wicked  impostor.  He  will 
wait  for  no  explanation  and  will  listen  to  no 
excuse.  The  mere  fact  that  a  man,  acquainted 
with  the  Scriptures,  is  capable  of  such  a  judg- 
ment  respecting   the   Son  of  God,  is  proof  of 


34  THE    SCRIPTURES, 

depravity  which  nothing  can  gainsay.  Yet  how 
little  difference  is  there  between  the  state  of 
mind  which  would  admit  of  such  a  judgment, 
and  the  state  in  which  those  are  who  have  no 
faith  in  the  declarations  of  Christ;  who  disre- 
gard his  promises  and  warnings;  who  do  not 
feel  them  to  be  true,  and  therefore  treat  them 
as  fables.  The  want  of  faith  therefore  of  which 
men  think  so  lightly,  will  be  found  the  most 
unreasonable  and  perhaps  the  most  aggravated 
of  all  their  sins.  It  implies  an  insensibility 
to  the  highest  kind  of  evidence,  and  involves 
the  rejection  of  the  greatest  gift  which  God 
has  ever  offered  to  man,  pardon,  holiness,  and 
eternal  life. 


Section  III. — External  Evidence  of  the  Divine  Origin 
of  the  Scriptures — The  Testimony  of  the  Church. 

As  God  has  left  the  heathen  to  the  un au- 
thenticated revelation  of  himself  in  his  works, 
and  holds  them  responsible  for  their  unbelief, 
so  he  might  have  left  us  to  the  simple  reve- 
lation of  himself  in  his  word.  He  has  been 
pleased,  however,  to  confirm  that  word  by  exter- 
nal proofs  of  the  most  convincing  character,  so 
that  we  are  entirely  without  excuse. 

The  testimony  of  the  church  is  of  itself  an 
unanswerable  argument  for  the  truth  of  Chris- 
tianity.     The   validity  of  this   testimony  does 


THE   WORD-  OF    GOD.  35 

not  depend  upon  the  assumed  infallibility  of 
any  class  of  men.  It  is  merely  the  testimony 
of  an  innumerable  body  of  witnesses,  under 
circumstances  which  preclude  the  idea  of  delu- 
sion or  deception.  For  the  sake  of  illustra^ 
tion  take  any  particular  branch  of  Christ's 
church,  as  for  example  the  Lutheran.  It  now 
exists  in  Europe  and  America.  It  everywhere 
possesses  the  same  version  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  the  same  confession  of  faith.  Its  testimony 
is,  that  it  owes  its  existence,  as  an  organized 
body,  to  Luther ;  to  whom  it  ascribes  the  trans- 
lation of  the  Bible,  and  under  whose  auspices 
it  professes  to  have  received  the  Augsburg 
Confession.  It  is  clearly  impossible  that  these 
documents  could,  during  the  present  century, 
have  been  palmed  upon  these  scattered  mil- 
lions of  men.  They  all  bear  testimony  that 
they  received  them  as  they  now  are  from  the 
hands  of  their  fathers.  As  to  this  point,  nei- 
ther delusion  nor  deception  is  conceivable.  In 
the  eighteenth  century  we  find  this  church 
scarcely  less  numerous  than  it  is  at  present. 
It  bore  the  same  testimony  then  that  it  does 
now.  With  one  voice  it  declared  that  their 
fathers  possessed  before  them  the  standards  of 
their  faith.  This  testimony  is  repeated  again 
in  the  seventeenth,  and  again  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  till  we  come  to  the  age  of  Luther. 
This  testimony,  conclusive  in  itself,  is  con- 
firmed   by    all    kinds    of    collateral    evidence. 


36  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

Every  thing  in  the  style,  doctrines  and  his- 
torical references  of  the  standards  of  the  Lu- 
theran church,  agrees  with  the  age  to  which 
they  are  referred.  The  influence  of  a  society 
holdins;  those  doctrines  is  traceable  throuo:h 
the  whole  of  the  intervening  period.  The 
wars,  the  treaties,  the  literary  and  religious 
institutions  of  the  period,  to  a  greater  or  less 
degree,  received  their  character  from  that  so- 
ciety. Much  therefore  as  men  may  differ  as 
to  Luther's  character,  as  to  the  wisdom  of  his 
conduct  or  the  truth  of  his  doctrines,  no  sane 
man  has  ever  questioned  the  fact  that  he 
lived,  that  he  translated  the  Scriptures,  that 
he  organized  a  new  church,  and  gave  his  fol- 
lowers the  Augsburg  Confession. 

The  same  series  of  remarks  might  be  made 
in  reference  to  the  church  of  England.  That 
extended  and  powerful  body  has  her  thirty-nine 
articles,  her  liturgy,  and  her  homilies,  which  she 
testifies  she  received  from  the  Reformers.  This 
testimony  cannot  be  doubted.  At  no  period  of 
her  history  could  that  church  either  deceive  or 
have  been  deceived,  as  to  that  point.  Her  tes- 
timony moreover  is  confirmed  by  all  collateral 
circumstances.  The  liturgy,  articles  and  homi- 
lies are  in  every  respect  consistent  with  their 
reputed  origin;  and  the  whole  history  of  Eng- 
land during  that  period  is  interwoven  with  the 
history  of  that  church.  The  consequence  is,  no 
man  doubts  that  the  English  Reformers  lived,  or 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  37 

that  they  framed  the  standards  of  doctrine  and 
worship  universally  ascribed  to  them. 

This  argument  when  applied  to  the  whole 
Christian  church  is  no  less  conclusive.  This 
church  now  exists  in  every  quarter  of  the  globe, 
and  embraces  many  millions  of  disciples.  Every- 
where it  has  the  same  records  of  its  faith ;  it  is 
everywhere  an  organized  society  with  religious 
officers  and  ordinances.  It  everywhere  testifies 
that  these  records  and  institutions  were  received 
from  Christ  and  his  apostles.  That  this  vast  so- 
ciety did  not  begin  to  exist  during  the  present 
century  is  as  evident  as  that  the  world  was  not 
just  made.  It  is  no  less  plain  that  it  did  not 
begin  to  exist  in  the  eighteenth,  the  seventeenth, 
the  sixteenth,  nor  in  any  other  century  subse- 
quent to  the  first  in  our  era.  In  each  succeeding 
century,  we  find  millions  of  men,  thousands  of 
churches  and  ministers  uniting  their  testimony 
to  the  fact  that  they  received  their  sacred  writ- 
ings and  institutions  from  their  predecessors, 
until  we  come  to  the  age  of  Christ  himself  Did 
the  origin  of  the  church  run  back  beyond  the 
limits  of  authentic  history,  so  as  to  leave  a  gap 
between  its  reputed  founder  and  its  ascertained 
existence,  this  argument  would  fail;  an  essential 
link  would  be  wanting,  and  the  whole  extended 
chain  would  fall  to  the  ground.  But  as  this  is 
not  the  case,  its  testimony  touching  the  histori- 
cal facts  of  its  origin,  is  as  irresistible  as  that  of 
the  church  of  England  respecting  the  origin  of 

5 


38  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

its  articles  and  liturgy.  The  Christian  church 
is  traced  up  to  the  time  of  Christ  by  a  mass  of 
evidence  which  cannot  be  resisted;  so  that  to 
deny  that  Christ  lived,  and  that  the  church  re- 
ceived from  his  followers  the  sacred  writings,  is 
not  merely  to  reject  the  testimony  of  thousands 
of  competent  witnesses,  but  to  deny  facts  which 
are  essential  to  account  for  the  subsequent  his- 
tory and  the  existing  state  of  the  world.  A 
man  might  as  well  profess  to  believe  in  the  ex- 
istence of  the  foliage  of  a  tree,  but  not  in  that 
of  its  branches  and  stem. 

This  testimony  of  the  church  as  to  the  facts 
on  which  Christianity  is  founded,  is  confirmed 
by  all  kinds  of  collateral  evidence.  The  lan- 
guage in  which  the  New  Testament  is  written  is 
precisely  that  which  belonged  to  the  time  and 
place  of  its  origin.  It  is  the  language  of  Jews 
speaking  Greek,  and  in  its  peculiarities  belonged 
to  no  other  age  or  people.  All  the  historical 
allusions  are  consistent  with  the  known  state  of 
the  world  at  that  time.  The  history  of  the 
world  since  the  advent  of  Christ  presupposes 
the  facts  recorded  in  the  New  Testament.  It 
is  beyond  a  doubt  that  the  religion  ttvught  by  a 
few  poor  men  in  Judea  has  changed  the  state 
of  a  large  part  of  the  world.  Paganism  has  dis- 
appeared ;  a  new  religion  been  introduced ;  laws, 
customs,  institutions  and  manners  become  pre- 
valent, and  they  all  rest  upon  facts  to  which 
the  church  bears  her  testimony. 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  39 

Beyond  all  this,  the  internal  character  of  the 
Scriptures  is  worthy  of  the  origin  ascribed  to 
them ;  a  character  which  gives  the  only  adequate 
solution  of  the  revolution  w^iich  they  have 
effected.  When  God  said,  Let  there  be  light, 
there  was  light.  And  when  Jesus  Christ  said, 
I  am  the  light  of  the  world,  the  light  shone. 
We  cannot  doubt  that  it  is  light;  neither  can 
we  doubt  when  it  arose,  for  all  before  was  dark- 
ness. 

This  testimony  of  the  church,  thus  confirmed 
by  all  internal  and  external  proofs,  establishes 
the  fact  that  Christ  lived  and  died,  that  he 
founded  the  Christian  church,  and  that  the  New 
Testament  was  received  from  his  immediate  fol- 
lowers. But  these  facts  involve  the  truth  of  the 
gospel  as  a  revelation  from  God,  unless  we  sup- 
pose that  Christ  and  his  apostles  were  deceivers. 
The  evidence  against  this  latter  assumption  is 
as  strong  as  the  evidence  of  the  existence  of  the 
sun.  The  blind,  if  they  please,  may  deny  that 
the  sun  exists,  and  none  but  the  morally  blind 
can  resist  the  evidence  which  the  New  Testa- 
ment affords  of  the  moral  excellence  and  intel- 
lectual sobriety  of  the  sacred  writers.  If  they 
were  trustworthy  men,  men  who  we  are  to  be- 
lieve spoke  the  truth,  then  they  actually  pos- 
sessed and  exercised  the  miraculous  powers  to 
which  they  laid  claim.  To  these  powers  Christ 
and  his  ajDostles  appealed  as  an  unanswerable 
proof  of  their  divine  mission;   and  we  cannot 


40  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

reject    their  testimony   without    denying   their 
integrity. 

Section  IV. — The  Argument  from  Prophecy. 

The  same  course  of  argument  which  proves 
that  the  version  of  the  Scriptures  and  the  Augs- 
burg Confession  in  the  possession  of  the  Lutheran 
church;  that  the  articles,  liturgy  and  homilies 
in  the  possession  of  the  church  of  England;  that 
the  New  Testament  in  the  possession  of  the 
whole  Christian  world,  were  derived  from  the 
sources  to  which  they  are  severally  referred, 
proves  with  equal  force  that  the  writings  of  the 
Old  Testament  in  the  possession  of  the  Jews  are 
the  productions  of  the  ancient  prophets.  Jews 
and  Christians  now  have  them.  They  had 
them  a  century  ago;  they  had  them  in  the  time 
of  Christ.  They  were  then  universally  acknow- 
ledged by  the  Israelites  in  Judea  and  elsewhere. 
They  can  be  historically  traced  up  centuries 
before  the  advent  of  Christ.  Three  hundred 
years  before  that  event,  they  were  translated 
into  the  Greek  language  and  widely  dissemi- 
nated. They  contain  the  history,  laws  and  lite- 
rature of  the  people  of  Judea,  whose  existence 
and  peculiarities  are  as  well  ascertained  as  those 
of  any  people  in  the  world.  These  writings  are 
essential  to  account  for  the  known  character  of 
that  people,  for  it  was  in  virtue  of  these  sacred 
books  that  they  were  what  they  were.     Critics 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  41 

have  indeed  disputed  about  the  particular  dates 
of  some  of  these  productions,  but  no  one  has  had 
the  hardihood  to  deny  that  they  existed  cen- 
turies before  the  birth  of  Christ.  This  being 
admitted,  we  have  a  basis  for  another  argument 
for  the  truth  of  Christianity,  which  cannot  be 
resisted. 

In  these  ancient  writings,  preserved  in  the 
hands  of  the  open  enemies  of  Christ,  we  find  the 
advent  of  a  deliverer  clearly  predicted.  Imme- 
diately after  t?ie  apostasy,  it  was  foretold  that 
the  seed  of  the  woman  should  bruise  the  ser- 
pent's head.  This  prediction  is  the  germ  of  all 
the  subsequent  prophecies,  which  do  but  reveal 
its  manifold  meaning.  Who  the  promised  seed 
was  to  be,  and  how  the  power  of  evil  was  by 
him  to  be  destroyed,  later  predictions  gradually 
revealed.  It  was  first  made  known  that  the 
Kedeemer  should  belong  to  the  race  of  Shem.* 
Then  that  he  should  be  of  the  seed  of  Abraham, 
to  whom  the  promise  was  made :  In  thy  seed  shall 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed.f  Then 
that  he  should  be  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,  of  whom 
it  was  foretold  that.  The  sceptre  shall  not  depart 
from  Judah,  or  a  law-giver  from  between  his 
feet,  until  Shiloh  come,  and  to  him  shall  be  the 
gathering  of  the  people. J  Subsequently  it  was 
revealed  that  he  was  to  be  of  the  lineage  of 
David :  There  shall  come  forth  a  rod  out  of  the 


*  Gen.  ix.  26.  f  Gen.  xxii.  18.  J  Gen.  xlix.  10. 

4* 


42  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

stem  of  Jesse,  and  a  branch  shall  grow  out  of 
his  roots,  and  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord  shall  rest 
upon  him,  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  understand- 
ing, the  spirit  of  knowledge  and  the  fear  of  the 
Lord.* 

It  was  foretold  that  his  advent  should  be 
preceded  by  that  of  a  special  messenger.  Behold 
I  will  send  my  messenger,  and  he  shall  prepare 
the  way  before  me;  and  the  Lord  whom  ye  seek 
shall  suddenly  come  to  his  temple,  even  the 
messenger  of  the  covenant  whom  ye  delight  in, 
behold  he  shall  come,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.f 
The  time,  the  manner,  and  the  place  of  his 
birth  were  all  predicted.  As  to  the  time, 
Daniel  said.  Know  therefore  and  understand 
that  from  the  going  forth  of  the  commandment 
to  build  and  restore  Jerusalem  unto  the  Messiah 
the  Prince,  shall  be  seven  weeks  and  threescore 
and  two  weeks.J  As  to  the  miraculous  manner 
of  his  birth,  Isaiah  said.  Behold  a  virgin  shall 
conceive  and  bear  a  son,  and  shall  call  his  name 
Immanuel.§  As  to  the  place,  Micah  said.  But 
thou,  Bethlehem-Ephratah,  though  thou  be  little 
among  the  thousands  of  Judah,  yet  out  of  thee 
shall  he  come  forth  unto  me  that  is  to  be  ruler 
in  Israel.  1 1 

This  deliverer  was  to  be  a  poor  man.  Be- 
hold, 0  daughter  of  Zion,  thy  king  cometh  unto 


*  Isa.  xi.  1,  2.  t  Mai.  iii.  1.  J  Dan.  ix.  25. 

§  Isa.  vii.  14  II  Micah  v.  2. 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  43 

thee,  lowly,  riding  upon  an  ass  and  upon  a  colt 
the  foal  of  an  ass.*  He  was  to  be  a  man  of  sor- 
rows and  acquainted  with  grief,  despised  and 
rejected  of  men,f  and  yet  Immanuel,  God  with 
us, J  Jehovah  our  righteousness, §  Wonderful, 
Counsellor,  The  Mighty  God,  The  Everlasting 
Father,  The  Prince  of  Peace,||  whose  goings  forth 
were  of  old,  from  the  days  of  eternity .^f 

The  Redeemer  thus  predicted  was  to  appear 
in  the  character  of  a  prophet  or  divine  teacher. 
The  Lord  thy  God,  said  Moses,  will  raise  up 
unto  thee  a  prophet  from  the  midst  of  thee,  of 
thy  brethren,  like  unto  me;  unto  him  shall  ye 
hearken.**  Behold  my  servant  whom  I  uphold, 
mine  elect  in  whom  my  soul  delighteth,  I  have 
put  my  Spirit  upon  him,  he  shall  bring  forth 
judgment  unto  the  Gen  tiles. "j-j*  The  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  God  is  upon  me,  because  he  hath  anointed 
me  to  preach  good  tidings  unto  the  meek;  he 
hath  sent  me  to  bind  up  the  broken-hearted,  to 
proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives,  and  the  opening 
of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound.JJ  In  that 
day  shall  the  deaf  hear  the  words  of  the  book, 
the  eyes  of  the  blind  shall  see  out  of  obscurity 
and  out  of  darkness;  the  meek  also  shall  in- 
crease   their   joy   in    the    Lord,    and    the   poor 


^  Zech.  ix.  9.  f  Isa.  liii.  I  Isa.  vii.  14. 

§  Jer.  xxiii.  6.  ||  Isa.  ix.  6.  f  Micah  v.  2. 

**  Deut.  xviii.  15.  ff  Isa.  xlil.  1.  J  J  Isa.  Ixi.  1. 


44  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

among  men  shall  rejoice  in  the  Holy  One  of 
Israel.* 

He  was  also  to  be  a  priest.  The  Lord  hath 
sworn  and  will  not  repent,  Thou  art  a  priest 
for  ever  after  the  order  of  Melchizedek."j-  He 
shall  build  the  temple  of  the  Lord,  and  he  shall 
bear  the  glory,  and  shall  sit  and  rule  upon 
his  throne,  and  he  shall  be  a  priest  upon  his 
throne.  J 

The  regal  character  of  this  Eedeemer  is  set 
forth  in  almost  every  page  of  the  prophetic 
writings.  I  have  anointed  (said  God  in  refer- 
ence to  the  Messiah)  my  King  on  my  holy 
hill  of  Zion.§  Thy  throne,  0  God,  is  for  ever 
and  ever;  the  sceptre  of  thy  kingdom  is  a 
sceptre  of  righteousness.  Thou  lovest  righteous- 
ness and  hatest  wickedness;  therefore  God,  thy 
God,  hath  anointed  thee  with  the  oil  of  gladness 
above  thy  fellows.  ||  Unto  us  a  child  is  born, 
unto  us  a  son  is  given,  and  the  government 
shall  be  upon  his  shoulder.  Of  the  increase 
of  his  government  and  peace  there  shall  be  no 
end,  upon  the  throne  of  David,  and  upon  his 
kingdom  to  order  it,  and  to  establish  it  with 
judgment  and  with  justice,  from  henceforth 
even  for  ever.^ 

The  characteristics  of  this  kingdom  of  the 
Messiah    were    also    clearly    predicted.      They 


*  Isa.  xxix.  18,  19.  f  Ps.  ex.  4.  %  Zech.  vi.  13. 

i  Ps.  ii.  6.  II  Ps.  xlv.  6,  7.      H  Isa.  ix.  6,  7. 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  45 

were  to  be  spiritual,  in  distinction  from  the 
external  and  ceremonial  character  of  the  former 
dispensation.  Behold,  the  days  come,  saitli  the 
Lord,  that  I  will  make  a  new  covenant  with 
the  house  of  Israel  and  with  the  house  of 
Judah;  not  according  to  the  covenant  that  I 
made  with  their  fathers,  &c.  I  will  put  my 
law  in  their  inward  parts,  and  write  it  in  their 
hearts;  and  will  be  their  God,  and  they  shall 
be  my  people.'^  Hence  the  effusion  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  is  so  constantly  mentioned  as  attending 
the  advent  of  the  promised  Redeemer.  In  that 
day  I  will  pour  out  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh, 
and  your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall  pro- 
phesy, &c.f 

Again,  this  kingdom  was  not  to  be  confined 
to  the  Jews,  but  was  to  include  all  the  world. 
As  early  as  in  the  book  of  Genesis  it  was  de- 
clared that  the  obedience  of  all  nations  should 
be  yielded  to  Shiloh,  and  that  all  the  nations 
of  the  earth  should  be  blessed  in  Abraham  and 
his  seed.  God  promised  the  Messiah  that  he 
should  have  the  heathen  for  his  inheritance,  and 
the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  his  posses- 
sion.J  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days, 
said  Isaiah,  that  the  mountain  of  the  Lord's 
house  shall  be  established  in  the  top  of  the 
mountains,  and  shall  be  exalted  above  the  ^lills, 


♦  Jer.  xxxi.  31,  32,  33.  f  Joel  ii.  28.  J  Pa.  ii.  8. 


46  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

and  all  nations  shall  flow  unto  it.*  It  is  a 
light  thing,  said  God,  that  thou  should st  be  my 
servant  to  raise  up  the  tribes  of  Jacob,  and  to 
restore  the  preserved  of  Israel;  I  will  also  give 
thee  for  a  light  to  the  Gentiles,  that  thou  may- 
est  be  my  salvation  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth. f 
In  that  day  there  shall  be  a  root  of  Jesse,  which 
shall  stand  for  an  ensign  of  the  people;  to  it 
shall  the  Gentiles  seek.J  I  saw  in  the  night 
visions,  said  Daniel,  and  behold,  one  like  the 
Son  of  man  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and 
came  to  the  Ancient  of  days,  and  they  brought 
him  near  before  him;  and  there  was  given  to 
him  dominion  and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that 
all  people,  nations  and  languages  should  serve 
him;  his  dominion  is  an  everlasting  dominion 
which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  his  kingdom 
that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed. §  Its  pro- 
gress however  was  to  be  gradual.  The  stone 
cut  out  of  the  mountains  without  hands,  was  to 
break  in  pieces  the  iron,  the  brass,  the  clay, 
the  silver  and  the  gold,  i.  e.  all  other  kingdoms, 
and  become  a  great  mountain  and  fill  the  whole 
earth.  1 1 

Though  the  prophets  describe,  in  such  strong 
language,  the  excellence,  glory  and  triumph  of 
this  Redeemer,  they  did  not  the  less  distinctly 
predict  his  rejection,  sufferings  and  death.    Lord, 


*  Isa.  ii.  2.  t  Isa.  xlix.  6.  J  Isa.  xi.  10. 

I  Dan.  vii.  13,  14.  1|  Dan.  ii.  45. 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  47 

who  hath  believed  our  report?  and  to  whom  is 
the  arm  of  the  Lord  revealed?  For  he  shall 
grow  up  before  him  as  a  tender  plant,  and  as  a 
root  out  of  a  dry  ground;  he  is  despised  and  re- 
jected of  men;  we  hid  as  it  were  our  faces  from 
him;  he  was  despised  and  we  esteemed  him 
not."^  To  him  whom  man  despiseth,  to  him 
whom  the  nation  abhorreth,  to  a  servant  of 
rulers,  kings  shall  see  and  arise,  and  princes  also 
shall  worship.f  The  people  whom  he  came  to 
redeem,  it  was  foretold,  would  not  only  reject 
him,  but  betray  and  sell  him  for  thirty  pieces 
of  silver.  If  ye  think  good,  give  me  my  price; 
and  if  not,  forbear.  So  they  weighed  for  my 
price  thirty  pieces  of  silver.  And  the  Lord  said 
unto  me,  Cast  it  unto  the  potter,  a  goodly  price 
that  I  was  prized  at  of  them. J  He  was  to  be 
grievously  persecuted  and  put  to  death.  He 
was,  said  the  prophet,  taken  from  prison  and 
from  judgment,  (cut  off  by  an  oppressive  judg- 
ment,) and  who  shall  declare  his  generation?  for 
he  was  cut  off  out  of  the  land  of  the  living;  for 
the  transgression  of  my  people  was  he  stricken. 
And  he  made  his  grave  with  the  wicked  and 
with  the  rich  in  his  death. §  Even  the  manner 
and  circumstances  of  his  death  were  minutely 
foretold.  The  assembly  of  the  wicked  have 
enclosed  me;  they  pierced  my  hands  and  my 
feet.      They   part   my  garments   among   them, 

*  Isa.  liii.      t  Isa.  xlix.  7.      t  Zech.  xi.  12, 13.      ^  Isa.  lii.  8,  9. 


48  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

and  cast  lots  upon  my  vesture.*  He  was  not 
however  to  continue  under  the  power  of  death. 
Thou  wilt  not  leave  my  soul  in  hell;  neither 
wilt  thou  suffer  thy  holy  one  to  see  corruption .-}- 
The  consequences  of  the  rejection  of  the  Mes- 
siah to  the  Jewish  people  were  also  predicted 
with  great  distinctness.  The  children  of  Israel, 
it  is  said,  shall  abide  many  days  without  a  king, 
and  without  a  prince,  and  without  a  sacrifice, 
and  without  an  image,  and  without  teraphim. 
Afterward  shall  the  children  of  Israel  return 
and  seek  the  Lord  and  his  goodness  in  the  latter 
day  S.J  Though  the  number  of  the  children  of 
Israel  be  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  a  remnant  shall 
return. §  Of  the  rebellious  portion  of  the  nation 
it  was  said,  I  will  scatter  them  among  all  people, 
from  one  end  of  the  earth  to  the  other,  and 
among  those  nations  shalt  thou  find  no  ease, 
neither  shall  the  sole  of  thy  foot  have  rest;  .  .  . 
And  thou  shalt  become  an  astonishment,  a  pro- 
verb, and  a  by-word  among  all  nations,  whither 
the  Lord  shall  lead  thee.||  Though  thus  scat- 
tered and  afflicted,  they  were  not  to  be  utterly 
destroyed,  for  God  promised,  saying,  When  they 
are  in  the  land  of  their  enemies  I  will  not  cast 
them  away,  neither  will  I  abhor  them  to  destroy 
them  utterly,  and  to  break  my  covenant  with 
them,  for  I  am  the  Lord  their  God.^     It  was 


*  Ps.  xxii.  16,  18.       t  Ps.  xvi.  10.  t  Hos.  iii.  4,  5. 

^  Isa.  X.  22,  23.  ||  Deut.  xxviii.  37,  66.        ^  Lev.  xxvi.  44. 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  49 

moreover  predicted  that  after  a  long  dispersion 
they  should  be  brought  to  acknowledge  their 
crucified  king.  I  will  pour  upon  the  house  of 
David  and  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem 
the  spirit  of  grace  and  supplications,  and  they 
shall  look  upon  me  whom  they  have  pierced, 
and  they  shall  mourn  for  him  as  one  mourneth 
for  his  only  son,  and  shall  be  in  bitterness  for 
him,  as  one  that  is  in  bitterness  for  his  first- 
born.* This  same  prophet  foretold  that  after 
the  people  had  rejected  and  betrayed  the  good 
shepherd,  they  should  be  given  up  to  the  oppres- 
sion of  their  enemies,  the  greater  portion  should 
be  destroyed,  but  the  residue,  after  long  sufier- 
ing,  should  be  restored.-}* 

This  representation  of  the  prophecies  of  the 
Jewish  Scriptures,  respecting  Christ  and  his 
kingdom,  is  in  the  highest  degree  inadequate. 
It  would  be  impossible  to  give  a  full  exhibition 
of  the  subject,  without  unfolding  the  whole  Old 
Testament  economy.  It  is  not  in  detached  pre- 
dictions merely,  that  the  former  dispensation 
was  prophetic.  In  its  main  design  it  was  pre- 
figurative  and  preparatory.  It  had  indeed  its 
immediate  purpose  to  answer,  in  preserving  the 
Israelites  a  distinct  people,  in  sustaining  the  true 
religion,  and  in  exhibiting  the  divine  perfections 
in  his  government  of  the  church.  But  all  this 
was  subordinate  to  its  grand  purpose  of  prepar- 

*  Zech.  xii.  10.  f  Zech.  xiii.  7,  9. 


50  THE    SCEIPTURES, 

ing  that  people  and  the  world  for  the  advent  of 
Christ,  and  to  be  a  shadowy  representation  of 
the  glories  of  the  new  dispensation,  for  the 
double  purpose  of  affording  an  object  of  f^iith 
and  hope  to  those  then  living,  and  that  the  new 
economy  might  be  better  understood,  more 
firmly  believed  and  more  extensively  embraced. 
Detached  passages  from  such  a  scheme  of  history 
and  prophecy  are  like  the  scattered  ruins  of  an 
ancient  temple.  To  form  a  just  judgment,  the 
plan  must  be  viewed  as  a  whole  as  well  as  in  its 
details.  It  could  then  be  seen  that  the  history 
of  the  Jews  was  the  history  of  the  lineage  of 
Christ;  the  whole  sacrificial  ritual  a  prefigura- 
tion  of  the  Lamb  of  God  who  was  to  bear  the 
sin  of  the  world ;  that  the  tabernacle  and  the 
temple,  with  their  complicated  services,  were 
types  of  things  spiritual  and  heavenly;  that  the 
prophets,  who  were  the  teachers  and  correctors 
of  the  people,  were  sent,  not  merely  nor  prin- 
cipally to  foretell  temporal  deliverances,  but 
mainly  to  keep  the  eyes  of  the  people  directed 
upward  and  onward  to  the  great  deliverer  and 
to  the  final  redemption.  Detached  passages  can 
give  no  adequate  conception  of  this  stupendous 
scheme  of  preparation  and  prophecy,  running 
through  thousands  of  years,  and  its  thousand 
lines  all  tending  to  one  common  centre, — the 
CROSS  OF  Christ. 

The  argument  from   prophecy  in  support  of 
the  truth  of  Christianity,  therefore,  can  be  ap- 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  51 

predated  by  those  only  who  will  candidly  study 
the  whole  system.  Still  enough  has  been  pre- 
sented to  show  that  it  is  impossible  to  account 
for  the  correspondence  between  the  prophecies 
of  the  Old  Testament  and  the  events  recorded  in 
the  New,  upon  any  other  assumption  than  that 
of  divine  inspiration.  We  have  seen  that  it  was 
predicted,  centuries  before  the  advent  of  Christ, 
that  a  great  deliverer  should  arise,  to  be  born  of 
the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  of  the  family  of  David, 
and  at  the  village  of  Bethlehem ;  that  he  should 
be  a  poor  and  humble  man,  and  yet  worthy  of 
the  highest  reverence  paid  to  God;  that  he 
should  be  a  teacher,  priest  and  king;  that  he 
should  be  rejected  by  his  own  people,  persecuted 
and  put  to  death;  that  he  should  rise  again  from 
the  dead;  that  the  Spirit  of  God  should  be 
poured  out  upon  his  followers,  giving  them  holi- 
ness, wisdom  and  courage ;  that  true  religion,  no 
longer  confined  to  the  Jews,  should  be  extended 
to  the  Gentiles,  and  in  despite  of  all  opposition 
should  continue,  triumph  and  ultimately  cover 
the  earth ;  that  the  Jews  wlio  rejected  the  Mes- 
siah, should  be  cast  off  and  scattered,  and  yet 
preserved ;  like  a  river  in  the  ocean,  divided  but 
not  dissipated,  a  standing  miracle,  a  fact  without 
a  parallel  or  analogy.  Here  then  is  the  whole 
history  of  Christ  and  his  kingdom,  written  cen- 
turies before  his-  advent.  A  history  full  of  appa- 
rent inconsistencies;  a  history  not  written  in 
one  age  or  by  one  man,  but  in  different  ages  and 


62  THE    SCRIPTURES, 

by  different  men,  each  adding  some  new  fact  or 
characteristic,  yet  all  combining  to  form  one  con- 
sistent, though  apparently  contradictory  whole. 

Admitting  then,  what  no  one  denies,  the  an- 
tiquity of  the  Jewish  Scriptures,  there  is  no 
escape  from  the  conclusion  that  they  were  writ- 
ten by  divine  inspiration,  and  that  Jesus  Christ, 
to  whom  they  so  plainly  refer,  is  the  Son  of  God 
and  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  To  suppose  that 
Christ,  knowing  these  ancient  prophecies,  set 
himself,  without  divine  commission,  to  act  in 
accordance  with  them,  is  to  suppose  impossi- 
bilities. It  is  to  suppose  that  Jesus  Christ  was 
a  bad  man,  which  no  one,  who  reads  the  New 
Testament,  can  believe,  any  more  than  he  can 
believe  that  the  sun  is  the  blackness  of  darkness. 
It  is  to  suppose  him  to  have  had  a  control  over 
the  actions  of  others  which  no  impostor  could 
exert.  Many  of  the  most  important  predictions 
in  reference  to  Christ  were  fulfilled  by  the  acts 
of  his  enemies.  Did  Christ  instigate  the  trea- 
chery of  Judas,  or  prompt  the  priest  to  pay  the 
traitor  thirty  pieces  of  silver  ?  Did  he  plot  with 
Pilate  for  his  own  condemnation  ?  or  so  arrange 
that  he  should  die  by  a  Eoman,  instead  of  a 
Jewish,  mode  of  capital  infliction  ?  Did  he  in- 
duce the  soldiers  to  part  his  garments  and  cast 
lots  upon  his  vesture,  or  stipulate  with  them 
that  none  of  his  bones  should  be  broken  ?  By 
what  possible  contrivance  could  the  two  great 
predicted  events  of  the  final  destruction  of  the 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  63 

Jewish  policy  and  the  consequent  dispersion  of 
the  Jews,  on  the  one  hand,  and  the  rapid  propa- 
gation of  the  new  religion  among  the  Gentiles, 
on  the  other,  have  been  brought  to  pass?  These 
events  were  predicted,  their  occurrence  was  be- 
yond the  scope  of  contrivance  or  imposture. 
There  is  no  rational  answer  to  this  argument 
from  prophecy.  The  testimony  of  the  Scriptures 
to  the  messiahship  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  the  testi- 
mony of  God.  Search  the  Scriptures,  said  our 
Saviour  himself,  for  in  them  ye  think  ye  have 
eternal  life,  and  they  are  they  which  testify 
of  me. 

God  then  has  been  pleased  to  hedge  up  the 
way  to  infidelity.  Men  must  do  violence  to  all 
the  usual  modes  of  argument ;  they  must  believe 
moral  impossibilities  and  irreconcilable  contra- 
dictions, and  above  all  they  must  harden  their 
hearts  to  the  excellence  of  the  Saviour,  before 
they  can  become  infidels. 

This  exposition  of  the  grounds  of  faith  is 
made  in  order  to  show  that  unbelief  is  a  sin; 
and  to  justify  the  awful  declaration  of  Christ, 
"  He  that  belie veth  not,  shall  be  damned."  Men 
flatter  themselves  that  they  are  not  responsible 
for  their  faith.  Belief  being  involuntary,  cannot, 
it  is  said,  be  a  matter  of  praise  or  blame.  This 
false  opinion  arises  from  confounding  things  very 
different  in  their  nature.  Faith  differs  accord- 
ing to  its  object  and  the  nature  of  the  evidence 
on  which  it  is  founded.     A  man  believes  that 

5* 


54  THE   SCRIPTURES, 

two  and  two  are  four,  or  that  Napoleon  died  in 
St.  Helena,  and  is  neither  morally  better,  nor 
worse  for  such  a  faith.  Disbelief,  in  such  cases, 
would  indicate  insanity,  not  moral  aberration. 
But  no  man  can  believe  that  virtue  is  vice  or 
vice  virtue,  without  being  to  the  last  degree 
depraved.  No  man  can  disbelieve  in  God,  espe- 
cially under  the  light  of  revelation,  without 
thereby  showing  that  he  is  destitute  of  all  right 
moral  and  religious  sentiments.  And  no  man 
can  disbelieve  the  record  which  God  has  given 
of  his  Son,  without  being  blind  to  the  glory  of 
God  and  the  moral  excellence  of  the  Saviour. 
He  rejects  the  appropriate  testimony  of  God, 
conveyed  in  a  manner  which  proves  it  to  be  his 
testimony. 

It  is  vain,  therefore,  for  any  man  to  hope  that 
he  can  be  innocently  destitute  of  faith  in  God  or 
of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  If  the  external  world 
retains  such  an  impression  of  the  hand  of  God, 
as  to  leave  those  without  excuse  who  refuse  to 
regard  it  as  his  work;  surely  those  who  refuse 
to  acknowledge  the  excellence  of  his  word  and 
the  glory  of  his  Son,  will  not  be  held  guiltless. 
The  evidence  which  has  convinced  millions, 
is  before  their  eyes,  and  should  convince  them. 
Instead,  therefore,  of  apologizing  for  their  want 
of  faith  and  complaining  of  the  weakness  of  the 
evidence,  to  which  nothing  but  neglect  or  blind* 
ness  can  render  them  insensible,  let  them  con- 
fess their   guilt  in   not   believing,  and  humble 


THE   WORD   OF   GOD.  55 

themselves  before  God,  and  pray  that  he  would 
open  their  eyes  to  see  the  excellence  of  his  word. 
They  should  dismiss  their  cavils,  and  be  assured 
that  if  the  Bible  does  not  win  their  faith  by  its 
milder  glories,  it  will  one  day  reveal  itself  by  its 
terrors,  to  their  awakened  consciences,  to  be  in- 
deed the  word  of  God, 


56  SIN. 


CHAPTER  n. 


^m. 


Section  I. — All  Men   are   Sinners — The  Nature  of 
Man^  since  the  Fall,  is  depraved. 

Since  then  the  Scriptures  are  undoubtedly  the 
word  of  God,  with  what  reverence  should  we 
receive  their  divine  instructions;  with  what 
assiduity  and  humility  should  we  study  them ; 
with  what  confidence  should  we  rely  upon  the 
truth  of  all  their  declarations;  and  with  what 
readiness  should  we  obey  all  their  directions ! 
We  are  specially  concerned  to  learn  what  they 
teach  with  regard  to  the  character  of  men,  the 
way  of  salvation,  and  the  rule  of  duty. 

With  respect  to  the  first  of  these  points,  (the 
character  of  men,)  the  Bible  very  clearly  teaches 
that  all  men  are  sinners.  The  apostle  Paul  not 
only  asserts  this  truth,  but  proves  it  at  length, 
in  reference  both  to  those  who  live  under  the 
light  of  nature,  and  those  who  enjoy  the  light 
of  revelation.  The  former,  he  says,  are  justly 
chargeable  with  impiety  and  immorality,  because 
the  perfections  of  the  Divine  Being,  his  eternal 
power  and  godhead,  have,  from  the  creation, 
been  manifested  by  the  things  which  are  made. 


SIN.  57 

Yet  men  have  not  acknowledged  their  creator. 
They  neither  worshipped  him  as  God,  nor  were 
thankful  for  his  mercies,  but  served  the  creature 
more  than  the  creator.  In  thus  departing  from 
the  fountain  of  all  excellence,  they  departed 
from  excellence  itself  Their  foolish  hearts  were 
darkened,  and  their  corruption  manifests  itself 
not  only  by  degrading  idolatry,  but  by  the  vari- 
ous forms  of  moral  evil  both  in  heart  and  life. 
These  sins  are  committed  against  the  law  which 
is  written  on  every  man's  heart;  so  that  they 
know  that  those  who  do  such  things  are  worthy 
of  death,  and  are  therefore  without  excuse  even 
in  their  own  consciousness. 

With  regard  to  those  who  enjoy  a  supernatu- 
ral revelation  of  the  character  and  requirements 
of  God,  the  case  is  still  more  plain.  Instead  of 
rendering  to  this  God  the  inward  and  outward 
homage  which  are  his  due,  they  neglect  his  ser- 
vice, and  really  prefer  his  creatures  to  himself. 
Instead  of  regulating  their  conduct  by  the  per- 
fect rule  of  duty  contained  in  the  Scriptures, 
they  constantly  dishonour  God,  by  breaking 
that  law.  It  is  thus  the  apostle  shows  that  all 
classes  of  men,  when  judged  by  the  light  they 
have  severally  enjoyed,  are  found  guilty  before 
God.  This  universality  of  guilt  moreover,  he 
says,  is  confirmed  by  the  clear  testimony  of  the 
Scriptures,  which  declare,  There  is  none  right- 
eous, no  not  one.  There  is  none  that  under- 
standeth;  there  is  none  that  seeketh  after  God. 


58  SIN. 

They  have  all  gone  out  of  the  way ;  they  have 
altogether  become  unprofitable;  there  is  none 
that  doth  good,  no  not  one. 

This  language  is  not  used  by  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  reference  to  the  men  of  any  one  age  or  coun- 
try, but  in  reference  to  the  human  race.  It  is 
intended  to  describe  the  moral  character  of  man. 
It  is  in  this  sense  that  it  is  quoted  and  applied 
by  the  apostle.  And  we  accordingly  find  simi- 
lar declarations  in  all  parts  of  the  Bible,  in  the 
New  Testament,  as  well  as  in  the  Old, — in  the 
writings  of  one  age,  as  well  as  in  those  of  an- 
other. And  there  are  no  passages  of  an  opposite 
character;  there  are  none  which  represent  the 
race  as  being  what  God  requires,  nor  any  which 
speak  of  any  member  of  that  race  as  being  free 
from  sin.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  expressly  said, 
If  we  say  we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves, 
and  the  truth  is  not  in  us.*  In  many  things  we 
all  ofFend.f  There  is  no  man  that  sinneth  not.J 
All  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of 
God.§  Hence  the  Scriptures  proceed  upon  the 
assumption  of  the  universal  sinfulness  of  men. 
To  speak,  to  act,  to  walk  after  the  manner  of 
men,  is,  in  the  language  of  the  Bible,  to  speak 
or  act  wickedly.  The  world  are  the  wicked. 
This  present  evil  world,  is  the  description  of 
mankind,  from  whose   character   and  deserved 


^  1  John  i.  8.  f  James  iii.  2. 

%  1  Kings  viii.  46.  §  Rom.  iii.  23. 


SIN.  59 

punishment  it  is  said  to  be  the  design  of  Christ's 
death  to  redeem  his  people.*  The  world  cannot 
hate  you,  said  our  Saviour  to  those  who  refused 
to  be  his  disciples,  but  me  it  hateth,  because  I 
testify  of  it  that  the  works  thereof  are  evil.f 
They  are  of  the  world,  therefore  they  speak  of 
the  world,  and  the  world  heareth  them.J  We 
are  of  God,  and  the  whole  world  lieth  in 
wickedness.  § 

This  however  is  not  a  doctrine  taught  in  iso- 
lated passages.  It  is  one  of  those  fundamental 
truths  which  are  taken  for  granted  in  almost 
every  page  of  the  Bible.  The  whole  scheme  of 
redemption  supposes  that  man  is  a  fallen  being. 
Christ  came  to  seek  and  to  save  the  lost.  He 
was  announced  as  the  Saviour  of  sinners.  His 
advent  and  work  have  no  meaning  or  value  but 
upon  the  assumption  that  we  are  guilty,  for  he 
came  to  save  his  people  from  their  sins ;  to  die 
the  just  for  the  unjust;  to  bear  our  sins  in  his 
own  body  on  the  tree.  Those  who  have  no  sin, 
need  no  Saviour;  those  who  do  not  deserve 
death,  need  no  Redeemer.  As  the  doctrine  of 
redemption  pervades  the  Scripture,  so  does  the 
doctrine  of  the  universal  sinfulness  of  men. 

This  doctrine  is  also  assumed  in  all  the  scrip- 
tural representations  of  what  is  necessary  for 
admission  into  heaven.     All  men,  everywhere, 


*  Gal.  i.  4.  t  John  vii.  7. 

JlJohniv.S.  ^lJohnv.19. 


60  SIN. 

are  commanded  to  repent.  But  repentance  sup- 
poses sin.  Every  man  must  be  born  again,  in 
order  to  see  the  kingdom  of  God ;  he  must  be- 
come a  new  creature ;  he  must  be  renewed  after 
the  image  of  God.  Being  dead  in  trespasses  and 
in  sins,  he  must  be  quickened,  or  made  partaker 
of  a  spiritual  life.  In  short,  it  is  the  uniform 
doctrine  of  the  Bible,  that  all  men  need  both 
pardon  and  sanctification  in  order  to  their  admis- 
sion to  heaven.  It  therefore  teaches  that  all 
men  are  sinners. 

The  Scriptures  moreover  teach  that  the  sin- 
fulness of  men  is  deep  seated ;  or,  consisting  in 
a  corruption  of  the  heart,  it  manifests  itself  in 
innumerable  forms  in  the  actions  of  the  life.  All 
the  imaginations  of  man's  heart  are  only  evil 
continually.*  God  says  of  the  human  heart  that 
it  is  deceitful  above  all  things  and  desperately 
wicked.f  All  men,  by  nature,  are  the  children 
of  wrath.J  And  therefore  the  Psalmist  says, 
Behold  I  was  shapen  in  iniquity,  and  in  sin  did 
my  mother  conceive  me.§ 

This  corruption  of  our  nature  is  the  ground 
of  the  constant  reference  of  every  thing  good  in 
man  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  of  every  thing  evil, 
to  his  own  nature.  Hence  in  the  language  of 
the  Bible,  the  natural  man  is  a  corrupt  man ; 
and  the  spiritual  man  alone  is  good.     Hence  too 


*  Gen.  vi.  5.  f  Jer.  xvii.  9. 

X  Eph.  ii.  3.  ^  Ps.  li.  5. 


SIN.  61 

the  constant  opposition  of  the  terms  flesh  and. 
spirit;  the  former  meaning  our  nature  as  it  is 
apart  from  divine  influence,  and  the  latter  the 
Holy  Spirit,  or  its  immediate  efiects.  To  be  in 
the  flesh,  to  walk  after  the  flesh,  to  mind  the 
things  of  the  flesh,  are  all  scriptural  expressions 
descriptive  of  the  natural  state  of  men.  It  is  in 
this  sense  of  the  term  that  Paul  says.  In  my 
flesh  there  dwelleth  no  good  thing;*  and  that 
our  Saviour  said,  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh 
is  flesh. -j- 

This  humbling  doctrine  is,  moreover,  involved 
in  all  the  descriptions  which  the  Bible  gives  of 
the  nature  of  that  moral  change  which  is  neces- 
sary to  salvation.  It  is  no  mere  outward  refor- 
mation ;  it  is  no  assiduous  performance  of  exter- 
nal duties.  It  is  a  regeneration ;  a  being  born 
of  the  Spirit ;  a  new  creation ;  a  passing  from 
death  unto  life.  A  change  never  effected  by  the 
subject  of  it,  but  which  has  its  source  in  God. 
Of  no  doctrine,  therefore,  is  the  Bible  more  full 
than  of  that  which  teaches  that  men  are  de- 
praved and  fallen  beings,  who  have  lost  the 
image  of  God,  and  who  must  be  created  anew 
in  Christ  Jesus  before  they  can  see  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 

These  scriptural  representations  respecting 
the  universality  of  sin  and  the  corruption  of 
our  nature,  are  abundantly  confirmed  by  expe- 

*  Rom.  vii.  18.  t  John  iii.  6. 


62  SIN. 

rience  and  observation.  Men  may  differ  as  to 
the  extent  of  their  sinfuhiess,  or  as  to  the  ill- 
desert  of  their  transgressions ;  but  they  cannot 
be  insensible  to  the  fact  that  they  are  sinners, 
or  that  they  have  sustained  this  character  as 
long  as  they  have  had  any  self-knowledge.  As 
far  back  as  they  can  go  in  the  history  of  their 
being,  they  find  the  testimony  of  conscience 
against  them.  As  this  consciousness  of  sin  is 
universal,  and  as  it  exists  as  soon  as  we  have 
any  know^ledge  of  ourselves,  it  proves  that  we 
are  fallen  beings ;  that  w^e  have  lost  the  moral 
image  of  God  with  which  our  first  parents  were 
created.  It  is  a  fact,  of  which  every  human 
being  is  a  witness,  that  our  moral  nature  is 
such,  that  instead  of  seeking  our  happiness  in 
God  and  holiness,  we  prefer  the  creature  to  the 
creator.  It  would  be  just  as  unreasonable  to 
assert  that  this  was  the  original,  proper  state  of 
man,  as  to  say  our  reason  was  sound,  if  it  uni- 
versally, immediately  and  infallibly  led  us  into 
wa^ong  judgments  upon  subjects  fairly  within  its 
competency. 

The  proof,  that  man  is  a  depraved  being,  is 
as  strong  as  that  he  is  a  rational,  a  social,  or  a 
moral  being.  He  gives  no  signs  of  reason  at  his 
birth;  but  he  invariably  manifests  his  intellec- 
tual nature  as  soon  as  he  becomes  capable  of 
appreciating  the  objects  around  him  or  of  ex- 
pressing the  operations  of  his  mind.  No  one 
supposes  reason  to  be  the  result  of  education,  or 


SIN.  63 

the  effect  of  circumstances,  merely  because  its 
operations  cannot  be  detected  from  the  first 
moment  of  existence.  The  uniformity  of  its 
manifestation  under  all  circumstances,  is  re- 
garded as  sufficient  proof  that  it  is  an  attribute 
of  our  nature. 

The  same  remark  may  be  made  respecting  the 
social  affections.  No  one  of  them  is  manifested 
from  the  beginning  of  our  course  in  this  world ; 
yet  the  fact  that  men,  in  all  ages  and  under  all 
circumstances,  evince  a  disposition  to  live  in 
society ;  that  all  parents  love  their  children, 
that  all  people  have  more  or  less  sympathy  in 
the  joys  and  sorrows  of  their  fellow-men,  is 
proof  that  these  affections  are  not  acquired,  but 
original;  that  they  belong  to  our  nature,  and 
are  characteristic  of  it. 

In  like  manner  the  apostle  reasons  from  the 
fact  that  all  men  perform  moral  acts  and  experi- 
ence the  approbation  or  disapprobation  of  con- 
science, that  they  have,  by  nature,  and  not  from 
example,  instruction,  or  any  other  external  influ- 
ence, but  in  virtue  of  their  original  moral  consti- 
tution, a  law  written  on  their  hearts,  a  sense  of 
right  and  wrong.  But  if  the  uniform  occurrence 
of  any  moral  acts  is  a  proof  of  a  moral  nature, 
the  uniform  occurrence  of  wrong  moral  acts  is  a 
proof  of  a  corrupt  moral  nature.  If  the  univer- 
sal manifestation  of  reason  and  of  the  social 
affections,  proves  man  to  be  by  nature  a  rational 
and  social  being,  the  universal  manifestation  of 


64  SIN. 

sinful  affections  proves  him  to  be  by  nature  a 
sinful  being.  When  we  say  that  any  one  is  a 
bad  man,  we  mean  that  the  predominant  charac- 
ter of  his  actions  proves  him  to  have  bad  princi- 
ples or  dispositions.  And  when  we  say  that 
man's  nature  is  depraved,  we  mean  that  it  is  a 
nature  whose  moral  acts  are  wrong.  And  this 
uniformity  of  wrong  moral  actions  is  as  much  a 
proof  of  a  depraved  nature,  as  the  acts  of  a  bad 
man  are  a  proof  of  the  predominance  of  evil  dis- 
positions in  his  heart.  This  is  the  uniform  judg- 
ment of  men,  and  is  sanctioned  by  the  word  of 
God.  A  good  tree  cannot  bring  forth  evil  fruit, 
neither  can  a  corrupt  tree  bring  forth  good  fruit. 
Therefore  by  their  fruits  shall  ye  know  them. 
This  illustration  was  used  by  our  Saviour  with 
the  express  design  of  teaching  that  the  predomi- 
nant character  of  the  acts  of  men,  is  to  be  taken 
as  a  certain  index  of  the  state  of  the  heart ;  and 
hence  the  uniform  occurrence  of  sin  in  all  men 
is  a  certain  evidence  of  the  corruption  of  their 
nature.  Indeed  there  is  no  one  fact  with  regard 
to  human  nature,  which  consciousness  and  ob- 
servation more  fully  establish  than  that  it  is 
depraved. 


SIN.  65 

Section    II. — Tlie  Sins  of  Men  are  numerous  and 

aggravated. 

The  Bible  not  only  teaches  that  all  men  are 
sinners,  and  that  the  evil  is  deeply  seated  in 
their  hearts,  but  moreover  that  their  sinfulness 
is  very  great.  The  clearest  intimation  which  a 
lawgiver  can  give  of  his  estimate  of  the  evil  of 
transgression  is  the  penalty  which  he  attaches 
to  the  violation  of  his  laws.  If  he  is  wise  and 
good,  the  penalty  will  be  a  true  index  of  the 
real  demerit  of  transgression ;  and  in  the  case 
of  God,  who  is  infinitely  wise  and  good,  the 
punishment  which  he  denounces  against  sin 
must  be  an  exact  criterion  of  its  ill-desert.  If 
we  are  unable  to  see  that  sin  really  deserves 
what  God  has  declared  to  be  its  proper  punish- 
ment, it  only  shows  that  our  judgment  differs 
from  his;  and  that  it  should  thus  differ  is  no 
matter  of  surprise.  We  cannot  know  all  the 
reasons  which  indicate  the  righteousness  of  the 
divine  threatenings.  We  can  have  no  adequate 
conception  of  the  greatness,  goodness  and  wis- 
dom of  the  Being  against  whom  we  sin ;  nor  of 
the  evil  which  sin  is  suited  to  produce ;  nor  of 
the  perfect  excellence  of  the  law  which  we 
transgress.  That  sin  therefore  appears  to  us  a 
less  evil  than  God  declares  it  to  be,  is  no  evi- 
dence that  it  is  really  undeserving  of  his  wrath 
and  curse. 

There  is  a  still  more  operative  cause  of  our 

6* 


66  SIN. 

low  estimate  of  the  evil  of  sin.  The  more  de- 
praved a  man  is,  the  less  capable  is  he  of  esti- 
mating the  heinousness  of  his  transgressions. 
And  the  man  who  in  one  part  of  his  career 
looked  upon  certain  crimes  with  abhorrence, 
comes  at  last  to  regard  them  with  indifference. 
That  we  are  sinners,  therefore,  is  a  sufficient 
explanation  of  the  fact,  that  we  look  upon  sin 
in  a  very  different  light  from  that  in  which  it  is 
presented  in  the  word  of  God.  Nothing  then 
can  be  more  reasonable  than  that  we  should  bow 
before  the  judgment  of  God,  and  acknowledge 
that  sin  really  deserves  the  punishment  which 
he  has  declared  to  be  its  due.  That  punishment 
is  so  awful,  that  nothing  but  a  profound  reve- 
rence for  God,  and  some  adequate  conception  of 
the  evil  of  sin,  can  produce  a  sincere  acquies- 
cence in  its  justice.  Yet  nothing  can  be  more 
certain  than  that  this  punishment  is  the  proper 
measure  of  the  ill-desert  of  sin. 

The  term  commonly  employed  to  designate 
this  punishment  is  death ;  death  not  merely  of 
the  body,  but  of  the  soul ;  not  merely  temporal, 
but  eternal.  It  is  a  comprehensive  term  there- 
fore to  express  all  the  evils  in  this  world  and 
the  world  to  come,  which  are  the  penal  conse- 
quences of  sin.  In  this  sense  it  is  to  be  under- 
stood in  the  threatening  made  to  our  first  pa- 
rents v^  In  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt 

*  Gen.  ii.  17. 


SIN.  67 

surely  die;  and  when  the  prophet  says,  The  soul 
that  sinneth,  it  shall  die ;""  and  when  the  apostle 
says,  The  wages  of  sin  is  death. f  The  same 
general  idea  is  expressed  by  the  word  curse,  As 
many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law  are  under 
the  curse ;  for  it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every  one 
that  continueth  not  in  all  things  written  in  the 
book  of  the  law  to  do  them ; J  and  also  by  the 
word  wrath,  We  were  by  nature  the  children  of 
wrath,§  The  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  hea- 
ven against  all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness 
of  men. II  * 

These  and  similar  passages  teach  that  sinners 
are  the  objects  of  the  divine  displeasure,  and 
that  this  displeasure  will  certainly  be  manifested. 
As  God  is  infinitely  good  and  the  fountain  of  all 
blessedness,  his  displeasure  must  be  the  greatest 
of  all  evils.  The  Scriptures,  however,  in  order 
to  impress  this  truth  more  deeply  upon  our 
minds,  employ  the  strongest  terms  human  lan- 
guage affords,  to  set  forth  the  dreadful  import  of 
God's  displeasure.  Those  who  obey  not  the  gos- 
pel, it  is  said,  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting 
destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  and 
from  the  glory  of  his  power.^  Our  Saviour 
says,  The  wicked  shall  be  cast  into  hell,  into  the 
fire  that  never  shall  be  quenched ;  where  their 

*  Ezek.  xviii.  4.  f  ^o°i.  vi.  23. 

%  Gal.  iii.  10.  ^  Eph.  ii.  3. 

II  Rom.  i.  18.  1[  2  Thess.  i.  9. 


68  SIN. 

worm  dieth  not  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.* 
At  the  last  great  day,  he  tells  us,  the  judge  shall 
say  to  those  upon  his  left  hand.  Depart  from  me, 
ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels.f  The  Son  of  man  shall 
send  forth  his  angels,  and  they  shall  gather  out 
of  his  kingdom  all  things  that  offend,  and  them 
that  do  iniquity,  and  shall  cast  them  into  a  fur- 
nace of  fire ;  there  shall  be  wailing  and  gnashing 
of  teeth. J  In  the  last  day,  all  that  are  in  their 
graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come  forth; 
they  that  have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrection 
of  life ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unto  the 
resurrection  of  damnation  ;§  or,  as  it  is  expressed 
in  Daniel,  1 1  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt. 

Whatever  explanation  may  be  given  of  the 
terms  employed  in  these  and  many  similar  pas- 
sages, there  can  be  no  doubt  that  they  are  in- 
tended to  convey  the  idea  of  endless  and  hopeless 
misery.  Whence  this  misery  shall  arise,  or 
wherein  it  shall  consist,  are  questions  of  minor 
importance.  It  is  sufficient  that  the  Scriptures 
teach  that  the  sufferings  here  spoken  of,  are,  in 
degree,  inconceivably  great  and  in  duration  end- 
less. The  most  fearful  exhibition  given  of  the 
future  state  of  the  impenitent,  is  that  which 
presents  them  as   reprobates,  as  abandoned  to 

*  Mark  ix.  43,  44.  f  Matt.  xxv.  41,  42, 

t  Matt.  xiii.  41,  42.  §  John  v.  29. 

II  Dan.  xii.  2. 


SIN.  69 

the  unrestrained  dominion  of  evil.  The  repress- 
ing influence  of  conscience,  of  a  probationary 
state,  of  a  regard  to  character,  of  good  example, 
and  above  all  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  will  be  with- 
drawn, and  unmingled  malignity,  impurity  and 
violence  constitute  the  character  and  condition 
of  those  who  finally  perish.  The  wicked  are 
represented  as  constantly  blaspheming  God, 
while  they  gnaw  their  tongues  with  pain.* 
The  God  who  pronounces  this  doom  upon  sin- 
ners, is  he  who  said.  As  I  live,  I  have  no  plea- 
sure in  the  death  of  the  wicked.  The  most 
fearful  of  these  passages  fell  from  the  lips  of  the 
Lamb  of  God,  who  came  to  die  that  we  might 
not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  it  is  not  against 
the  chief  of  sinners  that  this  dreadful  punish- 
ment is  denounced.  It  is  against  sin,  one  sin, 
any  sin.  Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth 
not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law 
to  do  them.f  Whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole 
law,  and  yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty 
of  all. J  As  far  as  we  know,  the  angels  were 
punished  for  their  first  offence.  Adam  and  his 
race  fell  by  one  transgression.  Human  govern- 
ments act  on  the  same  principle.  If  a  man  com- 
mit murder,  he  suffers  death  for  the  one  offence. 
If  he  is  guilty  of  treason,  he  finds  no  defence  in 
his  freedom  from  other  crimes.     Sin  is  apostasy 

*  Kev.  xvi.  10.  t  Gal.  iii.  10.  J  James  u.  10. 


70  SIN. 

from  God ;  it  breaks  our  communion  with  him, 
and  is  the  ruin  of  the  soul. 

The  displeasure  of  God  against  sin  and  his 
fixed  determination  to  punish  it,  are  also  mani- 
fested by  the  certain  connection  which  he  has 
established  between  sin  and  suffering.  It  is  the 
undeniable  tendency  of  sin  to  produce  misery; 
and  although  in  this  world  the  good  are  not 
always  more  happy  than  the  wncked,  this  only 
shows  that  the  present  is  a  state  of  trial  and  not 
of  retribution.  It  affords  no  evidence  to  contra- 
dict the  proof  of  the  purpose  of  God  to  punish 
sin,  derived  from  the  obvious  and  necessary  ten- 
dency of  sin  to  produce  misery.  This  tendency 
is  as  much  a  law  of  nature  as  any  other  law 
with  which  we  are  acquainted.  Men  flatter 
themselves  that  they  will  escape  the  evil  conse- 
quences of  their  transgressions  by  appealing  to 
the  mercy  of  God,  and  obtaining  a  suspension  of 
this  law  in  their  behalf  They  might  as  reason- 
ably expect  the  law  of  gravitation  to  be  sus- 
pended for  their  convenience.  He  that  soweth 
to  the  flesh,  shall  of  the  flesh  reap  corruption,  as 
certainly  as  he  who  sows  tares  shall  reap  tares. 
The  only  link  which  binds  together  causes  and 
effects  in  nature,  is  the  will  of  God;  and  the 
same  will,  no  less  clearly  revealed,  connects 
suffering  with  sin.  iVnd  this  is  a  connection 
absolutely  indissoluble  save  by  the  mystery  of 
redemption. 

To  suspend  the  operation  of  a  law  of  nature, 


SIN.  71 

(as  to  stop  the  sun  in  his  course,)  is  merely  an 
exercise  of  power.  But  to  save  sinners  from  the 
curse  of  the  law  required  that  Christ  should  be 
made  a  curse  for  us ;  that  he  should  bear  our 
sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree;  that  he  should 
be  made  sin  for  us,  and  die  the  just  for  the  un- 
just. It  would  be  a  reflection  on  the  wisdom  of 
God  to  suppose  that  he  would  employ  means  to 
accomplish  an  end  more  costly  than  that  end 
required.  Could  our  redemption  have  been 
effected  by  corruptible  things,  as  silver  or  gold, 
or  could  the  blood  of  bulls  or  of  goats  have 
taken  aw^ay  sin,  who  can  believe  that  Christ 
w^ould  have  died  ?  The  apostle  clearly  teaches 
that  it  is  to  make  the  death  of  Christ  vain,  to 
affirm  that  our  salvation  could  have  been  other- 
wise secured.*  Since,  then,  in  order  to  the  par- 
don of  sin,  the  death  of  Christ  was  necessary,  it 
is  evident  that  the  evil  of  sin  in  the  sight  of  God 
must  be  estimated  by  the  dignity  of  him  who 
died  for  our  redemption.  Here  we  approach  the 
most  mysterious  and  awful  doctrine  of  the  Bible. 
In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word 
was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God.  All 
things  were  made  by  him ;  and  without  him  was 
not  any  thing  made  that  was  made.  And  the 
Word  was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us,  and 
we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only 
begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace  and  truth.f 

*Gal.ii.2L  fJuhni.  1,3,  14. 


72  SIN. 

God  therefore  was  manifested  in  the  flesh.  He 
who,  being  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  not 
robbery  to  be  equal  with  God ;  made  himself  of 
no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a 
servant,  and  was  made  in  the  likeness  of  men ; 
and  being  found  in  fashion  as  a  man,  he  humbled 
himself,  and  became  obedient  unto  death,  even 
the  death  of  the  cross.*  He  then — who  is  de- 
clared to  be  the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory 
and  the  express  image  of  his  person,  upholding 
all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power ;  whom  all 
the  angels  are  commanded  to  worship ;  of  whom 
the  Scriptures  say,  Thy  throne,  0  God,  is  for 
ever  and  ever :  Thou,  Lord,  in  the  beginning  hast 
laid  the  foundation  of  the  earth,  and  the  heavens 
are  the  work  of  thy  hands;  they  shall  perish,  but 
thou  remainest;  they  shall  wax  old  as  doth  a 
garment;  and  as  a  vesture  shalt  thou  fold  them 
up,  and  they  shall  be  changed,  but  thou  art  the 
same,  and  thy  years  shall  not  fail — even  He, 
who  is  God  over  all  and  blessed  for  ever,  inas- 
much as  the  children  were  partakers  of  flesh  and 
blood,  himself  also  took  part  of  the  same ;  that 
through  death  he  might  destroy  him  that  had 
the  power  of  death,  that  is,  the  Devil,  and  de- 
liver them  who  through  fear  of  death  were  all 
their  lifetime  subject  to  bondage. 

It  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible  that  the  infinite 
and  eternal  Son  of  God  assumed  our  nature,  that 

*Phil.ii.6,7. 


SIN.  73 

he  might  redeem  us  from  the  curse  of  the  law  by 
being  made  a  curse  for  us.  It  is  obvious  that  no 
severity  of  mere  human  suffering ;  no  destroying 
deluge ;  no  final  conflagration,  not  hell  itself  can 
present  such  a  manifestation  of  the  evil  of  sin 
and  of  the  justice  of  God  as  the  cross  of  his  in- 
carnate Son.  It  declares  in  language  which  is 
heard  by  the  whole  intelligent  universe,  that  sin 
deserves  God's  wrath  and  curse,  and  that  none 
who  refuse  submission  to  the  appointed  method 
of  pardon,  can  escape  its  condemnation. 

The  penalty  then  which  God  has  attached  to 
the  violation  of  his  law,  the  certainty  with  which 
that  penalty  is  inflicted,  the  doom  of  the  fallen 
angels,  the  consequences  of  Adam's  sin,  and 
above  all  the  death  of  Christ,  are  manifestations 
of  the  evil  of  sin  in  the  estimation  of  God,  which 
it  is  the  highest  infatuation  for  us  to  disreo:ard. 

However  obdurate  our  hearts  may  be  in  refer- 
ence to  this  subject,  our  reason  is  not  so  blind 
as  not  to  see  that  our  guilt  must  be  exceedingly 
great.  We  cannot  deny  that  all  the  circum- 
stances which  aggravate  the  heinousness  of  sin 
concur  in  our  case.  The  law  which  we  trans- 
gress is  perfectly  good.  It  is  the  law  of  God ; 
the  law  of  right  and  reason.  It  is  the  expression 
of  the  highest  excellence ;  it  is  suited  to  our  na- 
ture, necessary  to  our  perfection  and  happiness. 
Opposition  to  such  a  law  must  be  in  the  highest 
degree  unreasonable  and  wicked. 

This  law  is  enforced  not  only  by  its  own  ex- 

7 


74  SIN. 


cellence,  but  by  the  authority  of  God.  Disregard 
of  this  authority  is  the  greatest  crime  of  which 
a  creature  is  capable.  It  is  rebellion  against  a 
beins:  whose  rip;ht  to  command  is  founded  on  his 
infinite  superiority,  his  infinite  goodness,  and  his 
absolute  propriety  in  us  as  his  creatures.  It  is 
apostasy  from  the  kingdom  of  God  to  the  king- 
dom of  Satan.  There  is  no  middle  ground  be- 
tween the  two.  Every  one  is  either  the  servant 
of  God,  or  the  servant  of  the  devil.  Holiness  is 
the  evidence  of  our  allegiance  to  our  Maker,  sin 
is  the  service  of  Satan.  Could  we  form  any  ade- 
quate conception  of  these  two  kingdoms,  of  the 
intrinsic  excellence  of  the  one  and  the  absolute 
evil  of  the  other,  of  the  blessedness  attendant  on 
the  one  and  the  misery  connected  with  the  other; 
could  we  in  short  bring  heaven  and  hell  in  im- 
mediate contrast,  we  might  have  some  proper 
view  of  the  guilt  of  this  apostasy  from  God.  It 
is  the  natural  tendency  of  our  conduct  to  de- 
grade ourselves  and  others,  to  make  Eden  like 
Sodom,  and  to  kindle,  everywhere,  the  fire  that 
never  shall  be  quenched.  This  cannot  be 
denied,  for  moral  evil  is  the  greatest  of  all  evils 
and  the  certain  cause  of  all  others.  He  there- 
fore who  sins  is  not  only  a  rebel  against  God, 
but  a  malefactor,  an  enemy  to  the  highest  good 
of  his  fellow-creatures. 

Airain,  our  cruilt  is  crreat  because  our  sins  are  ex- 
ceedingly  numerous.  It  is  not  merely  with  out- 
ward acts  of  unkindness  and  dishonesty  that  we 


SIN.  75 

are  chiargeable ;  our  habitual  and  characteristic 
state  of  mind  is  evil  in  the  sight  of  God.  Our 
pride,  vanitj,  indifference  to  his  will  and  to  the 
welfare  of  others,  our  selfishness,  our  loving  the 
creature  more  than  the  Creator,  are  continuous 
violations  of  his  law.  We  have  never,  in  any  one 
moment  of  our  lives,  been  or  done  what  that  law 
requires  us  to  be  and  to  do.  We  have  never  had 
that  delight  in  the  divine  perfections,  that  sense  of 
dependence  and  obligation,  that  fixed  purpose  to 
do  the  w^ill  and  promote  the  glory  of  God,  which 
constitute  the  love  which  is  our  first  and  highest 
duty.  It  is  in  this  sense  that  mankind  are  said 
to  be  totally  depraved.  They  are  entirely  desti- 
tute of  supreme  love  to  God.  Whatever  else 
they  may  have  is  as  nothing  while  this  is  want- 
ing. They  may  be  affectionate  fathers  or  kind 
masters,  or  dutiful  sons  and  daughters,  but  they 
are  not  obedient  children  of  God ;  they  have  not 
those  feelings  towards  God  which  constitute  their 
first  and  greatest  duty,  and  without  which  they 
are  always  transgressors.  The  man  who  is  a 
rebel  against  his  righteous  sovereign,  and  whose 
heart  is  full  of  enmity  to  his  person  and  govern- 
ment, may  be  faithful  to  his  associates  and  kind 
to  his  dependants,  but  he  is  always  and  increas- 
ingly guilty  as  it  regards  his  ruler.  Thus  we 
are  always  sinners;  we  are  at  all  times  and 
under  all  circumstances  in  opposition  to  God, 
because  we  are  never  what  his  law  requires  us 
to  be.     If  we  have  never  loved  him  supremely ; 


76  SIN. 

if  we  have  never  made  it  our  governing  purpose 
to  do  his  will ;  if  we  have  never  been  properly 
grateful  for  all  his  mercies;  if  we  have  never 
made  his  glory,  but  some  other  and  lower  object, 
the  end  of  our  actions ;  then  our  lives  have  been 
an  unbroken  series  of  transgressions.  Our  sins 
are  not  to  be  numbered  by  the  conscious  viola- 
tions of  duty ;  they  are  as  numerous  as  the  mo- 
ments of  our  existence. 

If  the  permanent  moral  dispositions  of  a  man 
are  evil,  it  must  follow  that  his  acts  of  transgres- 
sion will  be  past  counting  up.  Every  hour  there 
is  some  work  of  evil,  some  wrong  thought,  some 
bad  feeling,  some  improper  word,  or  some  wicked 
act,  to  add  to  the  number  of  his  offences.  The 
evil  exercise  of  an  evil  heart  is  like  the  ceaseless 
swinging  of  the  pendulum.  The  slightest  review 
of  life  therefore  is  sufficient  to  overwhelm  us 
with  the  conviction  of  the  countless  multitude 
of  OUT  transgressions.  It  is  this  which  consti- 
tutes our  exceeding  sinfulness  in  the  sight  of 
God.  While  conscience  sleeps,  or  our  attention 
is  directed  to  other  subjects,  the  number  of  our 
transgressions  grows  like  the  unnoticed  pulsa- 
tions of  our  heart.  It  is  not  until  we  pause  and 
call  ourselves  to  an  account,  that  we  see  how 
many  feelings  have  been  wrong;  how  great  is 
the  distance  at  which  we  habitually  live  from 
God,  and  how  constant  is  our  want  of  conformity 
to  his  will.  It  was  this  that  forced  the  Psalmist 
to  cry,  Mine  iniquities  have  taken  hold  upon 


SIN.  77 

me,  so  that  I  am  not  able  to  look  up ;  they  are 
more  than  the  hairs  of  my  head,  therefore  my 
heart  faileth  me. 

Again,  we  may  judge  of  the  greatness  of  our 
guilt  before  God,  by  considering  the  numerous 
restraints  of  his  truth,  providence  and  Spirit, 
which  we  habitually  disregard.  The  simple  fact 
that  sin  is  wrong,  that  conscience  condemns  it,  is 
a  constant  and  powerful  restraint.  We  cannot 
avail  ourselves  of  the  plea  of  ignorance,  as  we 
have  a  perfect  standard  of  duty  in  the  law  of 
God.  We  cannot  resist  the  conviction  that  his 
commands  are  righteous,  yet,  in  despite  of  this 
conviction,  we  live  in  constant  disobedience. 

We  are,  moreover,  fully  aware  of  the  conse- 
quences of  sin.  We  know  the  judgment  of  God, 
that  those  who  do  such  things  are  worthy  of 
death,  and  yet  continue  our  transgressions.  We 
are  surprised  at  the  drunkard  who  indulges  his 
fatal  passion  in  the  very  presence  of  ruin ;  yet 
are  blind  to  our  own  infatuation  in  continuing  to 
disobey  God  in  despite  of  threatened  death.  We 
stupidly  disregard  the  certain  consequences  of 
our  conduct,  and  awake  only  in  time  to  see  that 
madness  is  in  our  hearts.  This  insensibility, 
notwithstanding  the  occasional  admonitions  of 
conscience  and  the  constant  warning  of  the  word 
of  God,  constitutes  a  peculiar  aggravation  of  our 
guilt. 

Nor  are  we  more  mindful  of  the  restraining 

influence  of  the  love  of  God.     We  disregard  the 

7* 


78  SIN. 

fact  that  the  Being  against  whom  we  sin,  is  He 
to  whom  we  owe  our  existence  and  all  our  en- 
joyments ;  who  has  carried  us  in  his  arms,  and 
crowned  us  with  loving  kindness  and  tender 
mercies;  w4io  is  merciful  and  gracious,  slow  to 
anger  and  plenteous  in  mercy;  who  has  not 
dealt  with  us  after  our  sins,  nor  rewarded  us 
according  to  our  iniquities,  but  has  borne  with 
our  provocations,  waiting  that  his  goodness 
might  lead  us  to  repentance.  We  have  despised 
his  forbearance,  deriving  from  it  a  motive  to  sin, 
as  though  he  were  slack  concerning  his  promises, 
and  would  not  accomplish  his  threatenings;  thus 
treasuring  up  for  ourselves  w^rath  against  the 
day  of  wrath  and  revelation  of  the  righteous 
judgment  of  God.  Besides  all  this,  we  disre- 
gard the  love  of  Christ.  He  came  to  save  us 
from  our  sins,  and  we  wdll  not  accept  of  his  me- 
diation, or  reciprocate  his  love.  There  stands 
his  cross,  mutely  eloquent;  at  once  an  invitation 
and  a  warning.  It  tells  us  both  of  the  love  and 
justice  of  God.  It  assures  us,  that  he  who 
spared  not  his  own  Son,  is  ready  to  be  gracious. 
All  this  we  disregard.  We  count  the  blood  of 
the  covenant  an  unholy  thing;  we  act  as  if  it 
were  not  the  blood  of  the  Son  of  God,  shed  for 
us  for  the  remission  of  sins.  Or,  it  may  be,  we 
turn  the  grace  of  God  into  licentiousness,  and 
draw  encouragement  from  the  death  of  Christ  to 
continue  in  sin.  This  unbelieving  rejection  of 
the  Saviour  involves  guilt  so  peculiarly  great, 


SIN.  79 

that  it  is  often  spoken  of  as  the  special  ground 
of  the  condemnation  of  the  world.  He  that 
believeth  not  is  condemned  already,  because  he 
hath  not  Relieved  on  the  only  begotten  Son  of 
God.  When  he,  the  Spirit  of  truth,  is  come,  he 
shall  convince  the  world  of  sin,  because  they  be- 
lieve not  in  Christ.  If  he  that  despised  Moses' 
law  died  without  mercy,  under  two  or  three  wit- 
nesses, of  how  much  sorer  punishment  shall  he 
be  thought  worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot 
the  Son  of  God ! 

This  great  sin  of  rejecting  Jesus  Christ  as  a 
Saviour,  it  must  be  remembered,  is  an  often  re- 
peated and  long  continued  sin.  It  is  also  one 
which  is  chargeable  not  on  the  openly  wicked 
merely,  but  upon  those  whom  the  world  calls 
moral.  They  too  resist  the  claims  of  the  Son  of 
God ;  they  too  refuse  his  love  and  reject  his 
offers.  It  was  when  all  other  messengers  had 
failed,  the  Lord  of  the  vineyard  sent  his  Son  to 
his  disobedient  servants,  saying.  They  will  reve- 
rence my  Son.  The  guilt  of  thus  rejecting 
Christ  will  never  be  fully  appreciated  until  the 
day  when  he  shall  sit  on  the  throne,  and  from 
his  face  the  earth  and  heaven  shall  flee  away, 
and  no  place  be  found  for  them. 

Besides  these  restraints  from  without,  we  re- 
sist the  still  more  powerful  influence  of  the 
Spirit  of  God.  That  Spirit  strives  with  all  men ; 
suggesting  truth  and  exciting  conscience,  expos- 
tulating and  warning,  and  drawing  men  from  sin 


80  •  SIN. 

to  God.  It  is  from  Him  that  all  good  thoughts 
and  right  purposes  do  proceed.  This  Spirit  we 
quench ;  we  resist  his  gracious  influences,  not 
once  or  twice,  but  a  thousand  times.  Though 
he  will  not  always  strive  with  men,  he  strives 
long,  and  returns  after  many  insulting  rejections, 
repeating  the  warnings  and  invitations  of  mercy. 
All  men  are  sensible  of  this  divine  influence, 
though  they  may  not  be  aware  of  its  origin. 
They  know  not  whence  proceed  the  serious 
thoughts,  the  anxious  forebodings,  the  convic- 
tions of  truth,  the  sense  of  the  emptiness  of  the 
world,  the  longing  after  security  and  peace  of 
which  they  are  conscious.  God  sends  these  ad- 
monitions even  to  those  who  are  most  contented 
with  the  world  and  most  happy  in  their  estrange- 
ment from  himself.  He  leaves  no  man  without 
a  witness  and  a  warning.  These  strivings  of  the 
Spirit  are  not  only  frequent,  but  often  urgent. 
Almost  every  man  can  look  back  and  find  many 
instances  in  which  an  unseen  hand  was  upon 
him,  when  a  voice,  not  from  man,  has  sounded 
in  his  ears,  when  feelings  to  which  he  was  before 
a  stranger,  were  awakened  in  his  breast,  and 
when  he  felt  the  power  of  the  world  to  come. 
The  shadow  of  the  Almighty  has  passed  over 
him,  and  produced  the  conviction  that  God  is, 
and  that  He  is  an  avenger. 

From  a  review  of  what  has  been  said,  it  is 
plain  that  the  Scriptures  teach  not  only  that  all 
men    are   sinners,   but  that  their  corruption  is 


SIN.  81 

radical,  seated  in  their  hearts,  and  that  it  is 
exceedingly  great.  The  severity  of  the  penalty 
which  God  has  attached  to  transgression,  tlie 
certainty  of  its  infliction,  the  costliness  of  the 
sacrifice  by  which  alone  its  pardon  could  be  ob- 
tained, are  all  proofs  of  the  evil  of  sin  in  the 
sight  of  God.  The  greatness  of  our  personal 
guilt  is  plain  from  the  excellence  of  the  law 
which  we  have  violated ;  from  the  authority  and 
goodness  of  the  Being  whom  we  have  offended ; 
from  the  number  of  our  sins,  and  from  the  power- 
ful restraints  which  we  have  disregarded. 


82  CAUSES   OF   INDIFFERENCE 


CHAPTER  III. 

&mm  0f  Iniifferme  k  %  Cljatge  ai  3m. 

Section    I. — Sin — Want   of    Consideration — Striving 
against  the  Spirit. 

The  charge  of  sin  is  brought  so  directly  in  the 
word  of  God  against  every  human  being,  and  is 
so  fully  sustained  by  observation  and  experience, 
that  the  general  indifference  of  men  under  so 
weighty  an  accusation,  is  a  fact  which  needs  ex- 
planation. Indifference  is  no  proof  of  innocence, 
any  more  than  insensibility  to  pain  is  a  proof  of 
health.  In  ordinary  cases,  indeed,  a  man  cannot 
be  ill  without  knowing  it,  but  his  sensations  are 
a  verv  unsafe  criterion  of  the  nature  or  dans^er  of 
his  disease.  He  may  be  most  free  from  pain  when 
most  in  peril.  In  like  manner,  the  indifference 
of  men  to  their  own  sinfulness  affords  no  pre- 
sumption that  their  guilt  is  not  great  in  the 
sight  of  God.  The  absence  of  the  immediate 
consciousness  of  guilt  is  no  proof  of  innocence, 
unless  attended  by  the  joyful  exercise  of  all 
right  feelings.  When  accompanied  by  indiffer- 
ence to  duty  and  the  indulgence  of  sin,  it  is  the 
evidence  of  the  depth  of  our  depravity.  All 
men  assume  this  to  be  true  in  their  judgments 


TO   THE   CHARGE   OF   SIN.  83 

of  those  more  wicked  than  themselves.  To  say 
of  a  man,  he  is  a  hardened  wretch,  is  not  the 
language  of  extenuation  or  apology.  It  is  the 
language  of  aggravated  condemnation.  Those 
who  feel  thus  keenly,  with  regard  to  others,  that 
indifference  is  an  aggravation  of  guilt,  strangely 
imagine  it  to  be,  in  their  own  case,  a  proof  of 
comparative  innocence. 

This  insensibility  of  men,  therefore,  to  the 
moral  turpitude  of  their  character  in  the  sight 
of  God,  so  far  from  being  an  indication  of  good- 
ness, is  the  result  and  evidence  of  the  extent  of 
their  corruption.  As  in  bodily  disease  when  the 
seat  of  life  is  attacked,  the  sensibilities  are  weak- 
ened, so  in  the  disease  of  sin,  insensibility  is  one 
of  its  symptoms,  and  increases  with  the  increase 
of  the  evil.  Sin  produces  this  effect  both  by 
blinding  the  mind  and  by  hardening  the  heart. 
It  obscures  our  apprehensions  of  the  excellence 
of  God  and  of  his  law,  and  it  produces  a  cal- 
lousness of  feeling,  so  that  what  is  seen  is  not 
regarded.  Experience  teaches  us  that  a  mere 
change  in  the  state  of  the  mind,  produces  an  im- 
mediate and  entire  change  in  our  apprehensions 
and  feelings  in  reference  to  our  own  sins.  The 
man  who  at  one  hour  was  indifferent  as  the  most 
careless,  at  the  next  is  filled  with  astonishment 
and  remorse.  Others  think  his  feelings  unrea- 
sonable and  exaggerated ;  he  knows  them  to  be 
rational  and  even  inadequate.  This  is  not  the 
result  of  any  hallucination  or  mistaken  appre- 


84  CAUSES  OF  INDIFFERENCE 

hensions  of  God  or  of  his  own  character.  It  is 
the  natural  effect  of  an  enlightened  mind  and  of 
an  awakened  conscience.  The  ease  and  fre- 
quency with  which  the  indifference  of  men  to 
their  guilt  in  the  sight  of  God  is  destroyed,  is 
of  itself  a  proof  that  their  insensibility  is  not 
based  upon  truth ;  that  it  is  the  effect  of  a  dark- 
ened understanding  and  a  hardened  heart,  and 
that  though  it  may  increase  as  sin  gains  the 
ascendency,  it  vanishes  the  moment  the  light 
and  power  of  truth  are  let  in  upon  the  soul. 

Besides  this  general  cause  of  the  indifference 
of  men  to  the  declarations  of  God  regarding  their 
sinfulness,  there  are  others  which  ought  to  be 
specified.  When  the  prophet  contemplated  the 
impenitent  unconcern  of  the  people,  he  exclaim- 
ed, Israel  doth  not  know,  my  people  do  not  con- 
sider. And  when  God  would  rouse  them  to  a 
sense  of  their  guilt,  he  says.  Now  therefore  thus 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  consider  your  ways.  It 
is  this  want  of  consideration,  more  than  any  dif- 
ficulty in  arriving  at  the  truth,  which  sets  men 
in  such  opposition  to  God  in  their  judgments  of 
themselves,  and  which  hardens  them  in  their  in- 
difference. This  inconsideration  indeed  is  but 
an  effect  of  the  more  general  cause  already  refer- 
red to,  but  it  becomes  in  its  turn  a  cause  both 
of  ignorance  and  unconcern.  Men  learn  little 
upon  any  subject  by  intuition,  and  the  know- 
ledge of  their  own  hearts  is  not  to  be  obtained 
without    painful    self-examination.      This    self- 


TO   THE   CHxVRGE   OF   SIN.  85 

knowledge  is  the  subject  to  which  men  generally 
devote  the  least  attention.  They  are  engrossed 
by  the  cares  or  pleasures  of  the  world.  They 
either  float  quietly  down  the  stream  of  life,  or 
are  hurried  along  its  troubled  course,  with 
scarcely  an  hour  given  to  serious  reflection. 
That  under  such  circumstances  men  should  be 
ignorant  of  themselves  and  indifterent  to  their 
character  in  'the  sight  of  God,  is  not  only  natural 
but  unavoidable.  It  is  however  a  lamentable 
thing  that  they  should  make  a  judgment  of 
themselves,  formed  without  consideration,  the 
ground  of  their  conduct,  and  confide  in  it  in  op- 
position to  the  judgment  of  God.  If  they  will 
judge,  let  them  at  least  consider.  If  they  will 
act  on  their  own  conclusions  respecting  them- 
selves, let  them  at  least  examine  and  decide 
deliberately,  and  not  venture  every  thing  on  a 
hasty,  unconsidered  estimate  of  their  character, 
which,  it  may  be,  could  not,  even  in  their  own 
judgment,  stand  a  moment's  inspection. 

Men,  however,  are  not  merely  inconsiderate ; 
they  often  make  direct  efibrts  to  suppress  the 
rising  conviction  of  guilt  and  danger.  The  tes- 
timony of  God  against  them  is  so  plain ;  the 
authority  of  his  law  is  so  obvious;  their  want 
of  conformity  to  it  is  so  glaring,  and  the  influ- 
ences of  the  Spirit  are  so  general  and  frequent, 
that  the  conviction  of  sin  can  hardly  fail  to  ob- 
trude itself  even  upon  those  who  in  general  are 
the  most  unconcerned.     It  is  however  a  painful 

8 


86  CAUSES   OF   INDIFFERENCE 

conviction,  and  tlierefore,  instead  of  being  che- 
rished, it  is  disregarded  or  suppressed.  The 
mind  refuses  to  dwell  upon  the  subject,  or  to 
examine  the  evidence  of  guilt,  but  either  turns 
to  other  objects,  or,  by  some  act  of  levity  or 
transgression,  grieves  away  the  Spirit  of  God 
and  hardens  itself  in  unconcern.  This  is  a  fre- 
quently recurring  experience  in  the  history  of 
most  men.  They  have  more  anxious  thoughts 
than  they  allow  their  most  intimate  friends  to 
suspect.  They  often  mask  an  aching  heart  with 
a  smiling  face.  They  have  a  quick  foresight  of 
what  such  feehngs  must  lead  to,  if  cherished. 
They  see,  at  once,  that  they  cannot  cultivate 
such  sentiments,  and  live  as  they  have  been  ac- 
customed to  do.  There  are  pleasures,  and  it 
may  be  sins,  which  must  be  abandoned.  There 
are  companions  who  must  be  avoided.  There  is 
the  opposition  of  friends,  the  ridicule  of  asso- 
ciates, the  loss  of  rank,  to  be  encountered.  All 
the  horrors  of  a  religious  life  present  themselves 
to  the  imagination,  and  frighten  the  half  awa- 
kened from  considering  their  ways,  which  they 
know  to  be  but  the  first  step  in  what  appears 
a  long  and  painful  journey.  They  therefore 
struggle  against  their  convictions,  and  in  general 
master  them.  This  struggle  is  sometimes  short; 
at  others,  it  is  protracted  and  painful.  Victory 
however  comes  at  last,  and  the  soul  regains  its 
wonted  unconcern.  Such  persons  little  know 
what  they  are  doing.     They  little  suspect  that 


TO    THE    CHARGE   OF    SIN.  87 

they  are  struggling  to  elude  the  grasp  of  mercy ; 
that  they  are  striving  against  the  Spirit  of  God, 
who  would  draw  them  from  the  paths  of  destruc- 
tion, and  guide  them  into  the  way  of  life. 


Section    II. — Sophistical  Objections  against  the  Doc- 
trines of  the  Bible. 

Another  cause  of  the  indifference  of  men  may 
be  found  in  the  objections  which  they  urge 
against  the  truth.  Such  objections  indeed  are 
more  frequently  and  effectually  urged  to  perplex 
the  advocates  of  religion,  than  to  quiet  the  un- 
easiness of  conscience.  Still  men  endeavour  to 
impose  upon  themselves  as  well  as  to  embarrass 
others.  And  the  objections  referred  to,  doubt- 
less are  often  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  in- 
quirer; or  opiates  to  the  consciences  of  those 
who  desire  to  be  deceived.  It  is  objected  that 
we  are  what  God  made  us ;  that  our  character  is 
determined  either  by  our  original  constitution,  or 
by  the  circumstances  in  which  we  are  placed, 
and  therefore  we  cannot  be  responsible  for  it; 
that  inasmuch  as  neither  our  belief  nor  our  affec- 
tions are  under  the  control  of  the  will,  we  cannot 
be  accountable  for  either;  that  it  is  useless  to  use 
means  to  escape  the  judgment  of  God,  since  what 
is  to  be,  will  be ;  that  we  must  wait  till  God  sees 
fit  to  change  our  hearts,  since  it  is  declared  in 
Scripture  to  be  his  work. 

It  will  be  observed  that  these  and  similar  ob- 


88  CAUSES   OF   IXDIFFEREXCE 

jections  relate  to  the  reconciliation  of  different 
truths,  and  not  to  their  separate  validity  or  evi- 
dence. The  proposition  that  men  are  responsible 
for  their  moral  character,  taken  by  itself,  is  so 
capable  of  demonstration,  that  all  men  do  in  fact 
believe  it.  Every  man  feels  it  to  be  true  with 
reirard  to  himself,  and  knows  it  to  be  true  with 
resrard  to  others.  All  self-condemnation  and 
selt-approbation  rest  on  the  consciousness  of  this 
truth.  All  our  iudsrments  recrardinsr  the  moral 
conduct  of  others  are  founded  on  the  same  as- 
sumption. It  is,  therefore,  one  of  those  truths 
which  is  included  in  the  universal  consciousness 
of  men,  and  has  in  all  asres  and  nations  been 
assumed  as  certain.  Men  cannot  really  doubt  it, 
if  they  would.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  no  less 
certain  that  our  character  does  depend  in  a  mea- 
sure upon  circumstances  beyond  our  control; 
upon  our  original  constitution,  upon  education, 
upon  prevalent  habits  and  opinions,  upon  divine 
influence,  kc.  All  this  is  proved  by  experience 
and  observation.  Here  then  are  two  facts  rest- 
ing on  independent  evidence,  each  certain  and 
each  by  itself  securing  general  assent.  Yet  we 
see  men  constantly  disposed  to  bring  up  the  one 
against  the  other;  and  argue  against  their  re- 
sponsibility, because  they  are  dependent,  or 
against  their  dependence,  because  they  are 
responsible. 

In  like  manner  the  proposition  that  man  is  a 
free  agent,  commands  immediate  and  universal 


jfiseiit;  because  it  is  an  oltinmafe  ^adt  dT  oonsooniK- 
nesB.  It  can  no  more  be  doosbled  dBan  we  can 
doobloorownexisfeiKe.  ^de  %  side  howeircT 
with  idus  inthnalip  peEBuaam  of  oar  moral  fib^v 
ty.  Heft  the  comiclion,  no  leas  intbnalie,  of  oar 
mM&j  to  efaangev  %  madj  wining  to  do  ai, 
either  oar  beiief  or  oar  aflfecliion%  fiir  wbidi,  as 
bc^xe  staled,  evewy  man  knoiFS  biniidf  to  be 
le^ponable.  Pediaps  few  men — peifaapB  no 
man— can  see  die  hannonj  of  Ihese  troths;  jet 
tbej  are  tzndis,  and  as  such  are  ptacticall j  ae- 
knoidedged  bjaUmei. 

Agun,  all  expenenoe  teadies  ns  ihat  we  five 
in  a  worid  of  meanyj^  that  knowledge^  veii^on, 
b:^pine8S9  are  adl  to  be  soo^t  in  a  certain  way, 
and  that  to  ne^eet  the  means  is  to  lose  the  end. 
It  Ml  howevca-  no  less  true  that  there  is  no  ne- 
oeasaiy  or  certain  cooneetion  betweoi  die  means 
and  the  end;  tibat  God  holds  the  r^olt  in  his 
own  hands  and  decides  the  issues  aoondiDg  to 
his  sovcrragn  ^easore.  In  all  the  ordioaiy 
affidrs  of  lile  m^i  safamit  to  this  anangranent 
and  do  not  hesitate  to  use  means,  thiwigh  the 
end  is  onoatain  and  beyond  thrar  controL  Bat 
in  rdigion  they  think  this  onoertanitj  of  the 
resolt  a  saflident  excose  fiir  ne^ecL 

It  is  obiioos  that  this  method  <^  reasoning,  or 
rather  of  caTilling,  wfaidi  oonaste  in  Ivinging  i^ 
one  w^  established  trath  against  another,  is 
onworthj  d  a  latiooal  being.  We  oo^t  to 
(and  practicallj,  we  mast)  recdve  ereij  truth 


90  CAUSES   OF   INDIFFERENCE 

on  its  own  evidence.  If  we  cannot  reconcile  one 
fjict  with  another,  it  is  because  of  our  ignorance ; 
better  instructed  men  or  higher  orders  of  beings 
may  see  their  perfect  harmony.  Our  want  of 
such  knowledge  does  not  in  the  least  impair  the 
force  of  the  evidence  on  which  they  separately 
rest.  In  every  department  of  knowledge  the 
number  of  irreconcilable  truths  depends  on  the 
progress  of  the  student.  That  loose  matter  flies 
off  from  revolving  bodies,  and  that  every  thing 
adheres  to  the  surface  of  the  earth,  notwith- 
standing its  rapid  revolution,  are  irreconcilable 
facts  to  one  man,  though  not  to  another.  That 
two  rays  of  light  should  produce  darkness,  or 
two  sounds  cause  silence,  are  facts  which  many 
may  be  entirely  unable  to  reconcile  with  other 
facts  of  which  they  are  certain,  while  the  philo- 
sopher sees  not  only  their  consistency,  but  that 
they  are  the  necessary  consequences  of  the  same 
cause. 

If  the  evidence  of  the  constant  revolution  of 
the  earth  round  its  axis  were  presented  to  a 
man,  it  would  certainly  be  unreasonable  in  him 
to  deny  the  fact,  merely  because  he  could  not  re- 
concile it  with  the  stability  of  every  thing  on  the 
earth's  surface.  Or  if  he  saw  two  rays  of  light 
made  to  produce  darkness,  must  he  resist  the 
evidence  of  his  senses  because  he  knows  that 
two  candles  give  more  light  than  one  ?  Men  do 
not  commonly  act  thus  irrationally  in  physical 
investigations.     They  let  each  fact  stand  on  its 


TO   THE   CHARGE  OF   SIN.  91 

own  evidence.  They  strive  to  reconcile  them, 
and  are  happy  when  they  succeed.  But  they  do 
not  get  rid  of  difficulties  by  denying  facts. 

If  in  the  department  of  physical  knowledge  we 
are  obliged  to  act  upon  the  principle  of  receiving 
every  fact  upon  its  own  evidence,  even  when  un- 
able to  reconcile  one  with  another,  it  is  not  won- 
derful that  this  necessity  should  be  imposed  upon 
us  in  those  departments  of  knowledge  which  are 
less  within  the  limits  of  our  powers.  It  is  cer- 
tainly irrational  for  a  man  to  reject  all  the  evi- 
dence of  the  spirituality  of  the  soul,  because  he 
cannot  reconcile  with  that  doctrine  the  fact  that 
a  disease  of  the  body  disorders  the  mind.  Must 
I  do  violence  to  my  nature  in  denying  the  proof 
of  design  afforded  by  the  human  body,  because  I 
cannot  account  for  the  occasional  occurrence  of 
deformities  of  structure?  Must  I  harden  my 
heart  against  all  the  evidence  of  the  benevolence 
of  God,  which  streams  upon  me  in  a  flood  of 
light  from  all  his  works,  because  I  may  not 
know  how  to  reconcile  that  benevolence  with 
the  existence  of  evil?  Must  I  deny  my  free 
agency,  the  most  intimate  of  all  my  convictions, 
because  I  cannot  see  the  consistency  between 
the  freeness  of  an  act  and  the  certainty  of  its 
occurrence?  Must  I  deny  that  I  am  a  moral 
being,  the  very  glory  of  my  nature,  because  I 
cannot  change  my  character  at  will  ? 

It  is  impossible  for  any  man  to  act,  in  any 
department  of  knowledge,  upon  the  principle  on 


92  CAUSES   OF    INDIFFERENCE 

which  these  cavillmg  objections  to  religion  are 
founded.  From  youth  to  age  we.  are  obliged  to 
take  each  fact  as  it  comes,  upon  its  own  evi- 
dence, and  reconcile  it  with  other  facts  as  best 
we  may. 

The  unreasonableness  of  this  method  of  argu- 
ing is  further  evident  from  the  consideration 
that,  if  it  were  universally  adopted,  it  would 
render  all  progress  in  knowledge  impossible.  It 
would  be  tantamount  to  a  resolution  to  know 
notliing  until  we  know  all  things ;  for  our  know- 
ledge at  first  is  confined  to  isolated  facts.  To 
classify  and  harmonize  these  facts  is  the  slow 
work  of  the  student's  life.  This  is  a  most  bene- 
volent arrangement  of  Providence.  It  at  once 
stimulates  the  desire  of  knowledge  and  imposes 
on  us  the  constant  exercise  of  faith.  And  it  is 
in  virtue  of  these  two  important  principles  of 
our  nature  that  all  valuable  knowledge  is  ob- 
tained. The  desire  of  knowing  not  merely  facts, 
but  their  relations  and  harmony,  leads  to  the 
constant  effort  to  increase  the  number  of  known 
truths  and  to  obtain  an  insight  into  their  nature; 
and  the  necessity  we  are  under  of  believing  Avhat 
we  cannot  understand,  or  cannot  reconcile,  culti- 
vates the  habit  of  faith;  of  faith  in  evidence, 
faith  in  the  laws  of  our  nature,  faith  in  God.  It 
is  thus  our  heavenly  Father  leads  us  along  the 
paths  of  knowledge ;  and  he  who  refuses  to  be 
thus  led  must  remain  in  ignorance.  God  deals 
with  us  as  children;  though  as  rational  children. 


TO   THE   CHARGE   OF    SIN.  93 

He  does  not  require  us  to  believe  without  eyi- 
dence;  but  he  does  require  us  to  believe  what  we 
cannot  understand,  and  what  we  cannot  reconcile 
with  other  parts  of  knowledge.  This  necessity 
of  implicit  faith  is  not  confined  to  any  one  de- 
j^artment  of  knowledge,  but,  as  already  stated,  is 
constantly  demanded  with  regard  to  all.  The 
simplest  objects  in  the  physical  world  are  sur- 
rounded with  mysteries.  A  blade  of  grass  has 
wonders  about  it  which  no  philosopher  can  clear 
up;  no  man  can  tell  what  fixes  the  type  of  each 
species  of  plant  or  animal ;  by  what  process  the 
materials  of  leaf  and  flower  are  selected  and  ar- 
ranged; whence  the  beautiful  tints  are  borrowed 
or  how  applied;  what  conducts  the  silent  process 
of  formation  of  the  eye  or  hand.  Every  thing 
we  see  is,  even  to  the  most  enlightened,  the  in- 
dex of  something  unknown  and  inscrutable. 

If  the  visible  and  tangible  forms  of  matter  are 
replete  with  things  past  finding  out,  what  may 
we  expect  when  we  turn  our  eyes  on  the  world 
of  spirits?  Even  that  little  world  in  our  own 
bosoms  which  is  pervaded  by  our  own  conscious- 
nef5S,  the  facts  of  w^hich  are  most  intimately 
known,  is  full  of  wonders ;  of  phenomena  which 
we  can  neither  comprehend  nor  reconcile.  Who 
can  understand  the  secret  union  of  the  soul  and 
body,  which  establishes  their  reciprocal  influ- 
ence? Why  should. the  emotion  of  shame  suf- 
fuse the  cheek,  or  that  of  fear  send  the  blood  to 
the  heart  ?    Why  does  the  soul  suffer  if  the  body 


94  CAUSES   OF   INDIFFERENCE 

be  injured?  What  conception  can  we  form 
either  of  matter  or  mind  which  is  consistent 
with  their  mutual  influence  and  communion? 
The  operations  of  our  rational  and  moral  facul- 
ties are  not  less  beyond  our  comprehension.  We 
know  certain  facts,  but  the  reason  of  them  or 
their  consistency  we  cannot  understand.  We 
know  that  certain  feelings  follow  certain  percep- 
tions :  the  feeling  of  confidence  the  perception 
of  truth ;  the  feeling  of  pleasure  the  perception 
of  beauty ;  the  feeling  of  approbation  the  percep- 
tion of  what  is  morally  right.  Why  these  feel- 
ings should  thus  rise  no  one  can  tell.  Such  are 
the  laws  of  our  being ;  laws  which  we  did  not 
originate  and  which  we  cannot  control.  That  is, 
we  cannot  prevent  the  feeling  of  confidence  or 
faith  attending  the  perception  of  truth,  nor  that 
of  pleasure  the  perception  of  beauty,  nor  that  of 
approbation  the  perception  of  moral  rectitude. 
Yet  the  consciousness  of  self-agency  mingles  with 
all  these  operations.  We  are  free  in  being  sub- 
ject to  the  laws  of  our  own  nature.  The  neces- 
sity under  which  we  form  such  judgments  or 
exercise  such  feelings  produces  no  sense  of  bond- 
age. In  these  involuntary  or  necessary  judg- 
ments or  feelings,  however,  our  moral  character 
is  largely  concerned.  If  two  men  see  an  act  of 
cruelty,  and  the  one  smiles  at  it,  and  the  other 
is  indignant,  no  sophistry  can  prevent  our  con- 
demning the  former  and  approving  the  latter. 
The  feeling  excited  by  the  act  arises  in  each, 


TO   THE    CHARGE   OF   SIN.  95 

spontaneously,  and  by  an  inward  necessity  which 
neither,  at  the  moment,  can  control.  The  know- 
ledge of  this  fact  does  not  interfere  with  our 
judgment  in  the  case.  And  that  judgment  is 
not  merely  that  the  feeling  which  produced  the 
smile  is  an  indication  of  a  state  of  mind  or  of 
previous  conduct  worthy  of  disapprobation,  but 
that  the  feeling  itself  was  wrong.  Moreover,  the 
feeling  of  disapprobation  which  arises  thus  spon- 
taneously in  our  bosoms,  at  this  delight  in  suffer- 
ing, is  itself  a  moral  feeling.  We  should  con- 
demn ourselves  if  it  did  not  arise — we  approve 
ourselves  because  of  it.  There  are  therefore,  in 
our  owm  breasts,  enigmas  which  we  cannot  solve, 
depths  which  we  cannot  fathom.  Must  we  then, 
in  order  to  be  rational,  deny  these  facts?  Must 
we  maintain  that  our  nature  is  an  illusion  and 
our  constitution  a  falsehood  ?  Shall  we,  on  the 
one  hand,  deny  that  we  are  subject  to  the  laws 
of  our  being,  or,  on  the  other,  that  the  acts 
which  result  from  those  laws  are  not  our  own, 
do  not  express  our  character  nor  involve  respon- 
sibility ?  This  happily  cannot  be  done,  for  faith 
in  our  own  consciousness  is  one  of  the  laws  of 
our  nature  from  which  we  can  never  effectually 
emancipate  ourselves. 

If  then  there  are  in  our  own  nature  so  many 
things  wdiich  we  cannot  comprehend,  how  can 
we  expect  to  understand  God,  to  know  the  rea- 
sons and  relations  of  his  acts,  or  to  be  able  to 
reconcile,  in  all  cases,  his  w^orks  with  his  attri- 


96  CAUSES   OF   INDIFFERENCE 

butes?  To  do  this  would  require  a  more 
thorough  knowledge  of  God  than  we  have  of 
ourselves.  It  would  require  a  comprehension 
of  his  purposes  and  of  the  mode  in  which  he 
accomplishes  them.  It  would  require,  in  short, 
a  knowledge  which  no  creature  can  possess. 
For  what  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a  man, 
save  the  spirit  of  man  that  is  in  him  ?  Even  so 
the  things  of  God  knoweth  no  man,  but  the 
Spirit  of  God.  We  then,  who  are  the  least  and 
lowest  of  God's  rational  creatures,  may  well 
expect  to  be  required  to  live  by  faith ;  to  receive 
as  true,  on  his  authority,  much  that  we  cannot 
understand  and  cannot  reconcile.  It  is  not  how- 
ever blind  belief  which  is  required  of  us.  We 
are  not  required  to  believe  any  thing  without 
adequate  proof;  but  on  the  other  hand  we  are 
not  allowed  to  reject  any  thing  simply  because  we 
cannot  understand  it.  We  must  not  reject  the 
existence  of  God,  because  we  cannot  comprehend 
self-existence;  we  must  not  deny  his  eternity, 
because  we  cannot  conceive  of  duration  without 
succession;  nor  his  omnipresence,  because  we 
cannot  see  how  a  being  can  be  equally  and  en- 
tirely in  all  places  at  the  same  time ;  nor  omni- 
science, because  we  cannot  see  how  free  acts  can 
be  foreknown.  In  like  manner  we  are  not  re- 
quired to  believe  in  God's  goodness  without 
abundant  evidence  of  his  benevolence;  but  we 
are  required  to  believe  it,  whether  we  can  recon- 
cile it  with  the  existence  of  evil  or  not.    We  are 


TO   THE   CHARGE   OF   SIN.  97 

not  required  to  believe  in  the  providence  of  God 
without  evidence,  but  our  being  unable  to  recon- 
cile his  government  with  our  liberty,  is  no 
rational  ground  of  unbelief.  The  same  remark 
might  be  made  with  regard  to  the  apostasy  of 
our  race  and  the  corruption  of  our  nature ;  our 
inability  and  obligation  to  obedience ;  the  neces- 
sity of  divine  influence  and  the  use  of  means. 
We  are  required  to  believe  nothing  on  these  or 
any  other  subjects  without  adequate  proof,  but 
we  are  not  allowed  to  make  our  ignorance  of  the 
relations  of  these  trutlis  an  excuse  for  either  un- 
belief or  disobedience.  God  gives  to  the  glow- 
worm light  enough  to  see  its  own  path,  though 
not  enough  to  dispel  the  darkness  of  the  night. 
Thus  too  he  shows  us  where  to  put  our  foot 
down  in  each  successive  step  towards  heaven, 
though  he  may  not  enable  us  to  comprehend  the 
Almighty  unto  j^erfection. 

It  may  be  said  that  we  have  not  answered 
one  of  all  the  objections  to  which  reference  has 
so  often  been  made.  We  have  done  far  better 
than  answer  them,  if  we  have  made  the  reader 
feel  the  necessity  of  an  humble,  trustful  spirit 
towards  God.  This  is  the  appropriate  state  of 
mind  for  every  learner,  whether  in  the  school  of 
nature  or  of  Christ.  It  is  that  state  which  the 
feebleness  of  our  powers,  and  the  difficulty  of  the 
things  to  be  learned,  render  not  only  reasonable, 
but  indispensable.     A  second  impression  which 

we  have  laboured  to  produce  is,  that  it  is  one  of 

9 


98  CAUSES   OF    INDIFFERENCE 

our  primary  duties  to  submit  to  the  truth,  to 
form  the  purpose  and  to  cherish  the  habit  of 
yielding  the  mind  to  evidence.  Faith  without 
evidence  is  irrational;  but  unbelief  in  despite 
of  evidence  is  not  less  so.  There  is  a  great 
difference  in  the  temper  of  different  men  in 
relation  to  this  subject.  Some  resist  the  truth 
as  long  as  they  can ;  they  cavil  at  it  and  opjDose 
it.  Others  are  candid  and  docile;  they  are 
willing  to  admit  the  force  of  proof  as  far  as 
they  perceive  it.  This  is  the  only  way  in 
which  true  knowledge  can  be  obtained.  It  is 
thus  the  philosopher  is  accustomed  to  act.  He 
carefully  interrogates  nature  for  facts;  these 
facts  are  received ;  they  are  classified  and  har- 
monized as  far  as  the  investigator  is  able  thus 
to  reconcile  them.  But  he  rejects  none  because 
he  cannot  make  it  fit  into  a  system.  He  waits 
for  further  light.  It  is  thus  we  are  bound  to 
act.  We  too  are  called  upon  to  receive  every 
truth  uj)on  its  own  evidence ;  to  harmonize  our 
knowledge  where  we  can,  but  to  reject  nothing 
simply  because  of  our  ignorance  of  its  consist- 
ency with  other  truths. 

A  third  lesson  which  it  is  very  important  for 
us  to  learn  is,  what  is  adequate  evidence  of 
truth,  and  when  we  are  bound  to  rest  satisfied. 
This  may  be  a  question  which  it  is  diJfficult  to 
decide ;  but  as  far  as  religion  is  concerned,  the 
case  is  sufiiciently  plain.  By  the  laws  of  our 
being  we  are  imperatively  required  to  confide 


TO   THE   CHARGE   OF   SIN.  99 

in  the  well  ascertained  testimony  of  our  senses; 
to  rely  upon  the  veracity  of  our  own  conscious- 
ness; to  receive  the  unimpeachable  testimony 
of  our  fellow-men,  and  to  abide  by  those  truths 
which  are  matters  of  intuitive  perception,  or 
the  necessary  conclusions  of  reason.  These  are 
laws  of  belief  impressed  upon  our  constitution 
by  our  Creator;  and  are  therefore  the  authori- 
tative expressions  of  his  will.  To  refuse  obe- 
dience to  these  laws  is,  then,  not  only  unreason- 
able, it  is  rebellion  against  God.  They  are  the 
adamantine  bars  by  which  he  has  closed  up  the 
way  to  universal  skepticism ;  and  those  who 
break  through  them  do  but  prematurely  enter 
upon  the  outer  darkness.  We  are  obliged  then 
as  rational  beings  to  receive  every  truth  which 
rests  upon  the  testimony  of  our  senses,  upon 
the  authority  of  consciousness,  the  unimpeach- 
able testimony  of  witnesses,  or  the  intuitive 
perceptions  or  necessary  deductions  of  reason. 
Whether  we  can  systematize  and  reconcile  all 
the  truths  thus  arrived  at,  is  a  very  different 
question.  Our  obligation  to  receive  them  does 
not  rest  upon  this  power,  but  upon  the  evidence 
afforded  for  each  separate  truth.  Our  conscious- 
ness tells  us  that  we  are  sinners ;  it  also  informs 
us  of  our  helplessness.  We  may  fight  against 
one  or  the  other  of  these  truths  as  the  ocean 
chafes  the  rocks.  They  cannot  be  moved. 
When  the  mind  has  been  drugged  with  false 
philosophy,  it  may  for  a  time  disbelieve.     But 


100  CAUSES   OF   INDIFFERENCE 

the  infidelity  lasts  no  longer  than  the  intoxica- 
tion. As  soon  as  the  man  is  sober,  the  truth 
reappears  in  greater  clearness  and  authority 
than  ever.  Nothing  therefore  can  be  eventu- 
ally gained  by  resistance  to  the  truth,  and  it 
is  the  part  of  wisdom  to  submit  at  once  to  the 
laws  of  belief  which  God  has  impressed  upon 
our  nature. 

Besides  this  rule  of  faith,  (if  it  may  be  so 
called,)  which  God  has  given  us  in  the  consti- 
tution of  our  nature,  we  have  his  word  and  his 
providence,  authenticated  by  all  kinds  of  ade- 
quate testimony.  There  can  be  no  higher 
ground  of  faith  than  the  authority  of  God. 
Even  confidence  in  the  testimony  of  our  senses 
or  the  dictates  of  consciousness,  resolves  itself 
into  confidence  in  the  veracity  of  God,  by  whom 
the  laws  of  nature  have  been  established.  Any 
truth  therefore  which  is  sustained  by  a  well 
authenticated  revelation  of  God,  or  upon  the 
actual  dispensations  of  his  providence,  must  be 
considered  as  fully  established ;  and  every  ob- 
jection which  can  be  shown  to  militate  against 
either,  must  be  considered  as  fully  answered. 
It  was  thus  that  the  sacred  writers  answered 
objections.  It  was  enough  for  them  that  God 
asserted  any  truth,  or  actually  exercised  any 
prerogative.  Any  further  vindication  they 
deemed  unnecessary.  We  should  act  on  the 
same  principle,  and  quietly  submit  to  all  that 
God  says  and  to  all  he  does.     Some  men  com- 


TO   THE   CHARGE   OF   SIN.  101 

plainingly  ask,  Why  were  we  born  ?  Surely  it 
is  enough  that  they  are  born.  The  fact  cannot 
be  denied,  whether  they  can  see  the  wisdom 
and  design  of  their  creation  or  not.  Or  they 
ask.  Why  were  we  born  in  a  state  of  sin,  or  in 
a  world  in  which  sin  is  universal  and  inevitable  ? 
This,  to  human  reason,  may  be  a  question  im- 
possible to  answer.  But  as  the  fact  stares  us 
in  the  face,  is  there  any  use  in  denying  it? 
But  it  is  further  asked.  If  we  are  born  in  such 
a  state  that  either  from  our  nature  or  circum- 
stances sin  is  inevitable  and  universal,  how  can 
we  be  responsible  ?  Whatever  difficulty  there 
may  be  in  showing  how  we  are  responsible, 
there  is  no  doubt  as  to  the  fact.  We  feel  our- 
selves to  be  responsible,  and  can  no  more  free 
ourselves  from  the  conviction  than  we  can  get 
rid  of  the  consciousness  of  existence.  Where 
then  is  the  wisdom  of  quarrelling  with  facts? 
Why  should  we  spend  our  lives  like  a  wild 
beast  in  a  cage  for  ever  chafing  against  the 
bars  of  its  prison,  which  nevertheless  remain  ? 
Let  us  learn  to  submit  to  what  we  see  to  be 
true;  let  us  remember  that  our  knowledge  does 
not  embrace  all  truth ;  that  things  may  be  per- 
fectly consistent  with  each  other  and  with  the 
attributes  of  God,  though  we  may  not  see  how. 
Our  knowledge  will  continually  increase;  and 
those  facts  which  give  us  most  difficulty  will  be 
found  to  be  so  analogous  to  others,  the  justice 

of  which  we  are  able  to  recognise,  that  if  we 

9* 


102  CAUSES   OF   INDIFFERENCE 

never  come  to  see  all  things  in  their  harmony, 
we  shall  at  least  see  that  they  must  be  consist- 
ent, being  parts  of  that  system  which  is  every- 
where luminous  with  the  manifestations  of  the 
wisdom  and  love  of  God.  Let  us  remember 
that  we  are  children,  the  children  of  God,  that 
he  gives  us  abundant  evidence  of  every  thing 
which  he  requires  us  to  believe^  though  he 
renders  it  necessary  for  us  to  exercise  confidence 
in  him,  to  feel  assured  that  what  he  says  is  true 
and  that  what  he  does  is  right;  that  though 
clouds  and  darkness  may  be  round  about  him, 
justice  and  judgment  are  the  habitation  of  his 
throne. 

The  last  general  remark  to  be  made  in  refer- 
ence to  these  objections  is,  that  they  are  almost 
always  dishonestly  urged;  that  is,  they  are  urged 
with  an  inward  conviction  of  their  fallacy.  As 
in  many  cases  we  know  things  to  be  true  which 
we  cannot  prove,  so  we  often  know  objections 
to  be  fallacious  which  we  cannot  answer.  If  a 
man  denies  his  own  existence,  or  the  distinction 
between  right  and  wrong,  it  is  in  vain  to  argue 
with  him.  There  can  be  nothing  plainer  than 
the  truth  denied,  and  therefore  there  can  be  no 
means  of  proving  it.  So  also,  if,  to  escape  the 
charge  of  guilt,  he  denies  his  responsibility,  he 
denies  a  fact  of  consciousness  which  cannot  pos- 
sibly be  made  plainer.  Or  if  he  plead  his  in- 
ability as  an  excuse  for  not  repenting  and 
obeying    God,   he    presents    a   plea  which    he 


TO   THE   CHARGE   OF   SIN.  103 

knows  has  no  validity.  He  knows  that  how- 
ever real  this  inability  may  be,  it  is  of  such  a 
nature  as  to  afford  no  excuse  for  his  continuing 
in  sin,  because  the  conviction  of  its  reality  co- 
exists, in  his  own  consciousness,  with  a  sense 
of  guilt.  It  is  a  plea  therefore  that  does  not 
avail  at  the  bar  of  his  own  conscience,  and  he 
knows  that  it  will  not  avail  at  the  bar  of  God. 
In  like  manner,  when  men  object  to  the  strict- 
ness of  the  divine  law,  they  do  so  with  the  in- 
ward persuasion  of  the  righteousness  of  that  law. 
Its  requirements  commend  themselves  to  their 
conscience.  They  know  that  as  God  is  infi- 
nitely wise  and  good,  it  is  right  that  we  should 
regard  him  with  supreme  affection,  and  impli- 
citly submit  to  all  his  directions. 

All  such  cavilling  objections  men  know  to  be 
false.  God  has  not  left  himself  without  a  wit- 
ness. His  voice  has  an  authority  which  we 
cannot  resist.  When  he  tells  us  we  are  sinners, 
we  know  it  to  be  true.  When  he  tells  us  that 
we  are  worthy  of  death,  we  know  it  to  be  a 
righteous  judgment.  When  he  tells  that  we 
have  no  strength  to  save  ourselves,  and  that 
our  salvation  depends  upon  his  will,  we  know 
it  to  be  even  so.  Whenever  he  reveals  himself, 
our  mouths  are  shut,  not  from  fear  merely,  but 
from  an  intimate  persuasion  of  the  justice  of  all 
his  ways.  It  is,  then,  both  foolish  and  wicked 
to  urge  objections  against  the  truth,  which  we 
ourselves  know  to   be   futile,  whether  this   b^ 


104  CAUSES   OF   INDIFFERENCE 

done  with  a  view  to  perplex  our  fellow-men,  or 
in  the  vain  endeavour  to  silence  the  accusations 
of  conscience  and  the  word  of  God. 

Such  is  the  power  of  truth,  that  neither  the 
natural  insensibility  of  the  heart,  nor  the  want 
of  consideration,  nor  the  direct  efforts  which 
men  make  to  suppress  serious  thoughts,  nor  the 
whole  array  of  sophistical  objections,  can  avail 
to  counteract  the  secret  conviction  in  the  breast 
of  the  impenitent,  that  they  are  in  the  road  to 
eternal  death.  This  conviction  is  often  very 
weak.  When  men  are  engrossed  in  the  con- 
cerns of  this  world,  it  is  overlooked.  Still  it  is 
there ;  and  it  is  ever  and  anon  waking  up  to 
trouble  them.  Nor  can  the  suggestion,  that 
God  is  merciful,  and,  peradventure,  will  not  be 
strict  to  mark  iniquity,  quiet  this  uneasy  appre- 
hension. This  suggestion,  therefore,  avails  but 
little.  It  is  counteracted  by  the  sense  of  ill- 
desert,  by  the  irrepressible  conviction  that  those 
who  commit  sin  are  worthy  of  death,  by  the 
plain  declarations  of  Scripture,  and  by  the  evi- 
dence, which  even  providence  affords,  that  God 
is  righteous.  The  vague  apprehension  of  com- 
ing wrath,  therefore,  in  despite  of  all  their  ef- 
forts, still  haunts  the  path  of  the  impenitent. 
It  chills  their  joys,  and  gathers  strength  when- 
ever the  world  seems  to  be  receding  from  their 
grasp. 

Most  men  are  driven  to  enter  the  plea  of 
guilty  before  the  bar  of  conscience,  and  content 


TO   THE   CHARGE   OF   SIN.  105 

themselves  with  prajdng  for  a  delay  of  judg- 
ment. They  are  forced  to  admit  that  they  are 
not  fit  to  die  in  their  present  state,  that  they 
are  bound  to  comply  with  the  requirements  of 
the  gospel ;  but  they  plead  for  time.  Go  thy 
way  for  this  time;  when  I  have  a  more  con- 
venient season  I  will  call  for  thee.  Conscience 
is  more  easily  deluded  by  this  plea,  w^hich  seems 
to  admit  its  demands,  than  by  any  other.  It  is, 
therefore,  the  most  danorerous  snare  for  souls. 
Men  do  not  reflect  on  the  wickedness  of  plead- 
ing with  God  for  liberty  to  continue  a  little 
longer  in  sin ;  to  be  allowed  to  break  his  com- 
mandments, to  disregard  his  mercies,  to  slight 
his  love,  and  to  injure  the  cause  of  truth  and 
righteousness.  They  do  not  think  of  the  indig- 
nation with  which  tliey  would  reject  such  a  plea 
from  an  ungrateful  and  disobedient  son  or  ser- 
vant. Nor  do  they  remember  that  every  such 
act  of  procrastination  is  a  great  aggravation  of 
their  guilt,  as  it  supposes  a  consciousness  of  the 
evil  of  their  present  course  and  a  recognition  of 
the  righteousness  of  all  the  demands  of  God. 
Nor  do  they  consider  that  the  difficulties  which 
beset  the  path  of  their  return  to  God  are  all 
increased  by  delay.  If  the  work  of  repentance 
be  irksome  to-day,  it  will  be  more  irksome  to- 
morrow. If  the  heart  be  now  hard,  it  will 
become  yet  harder  by  neglect.  If  the  power 
of  sin  be  now  too  strong  for  us  to  resist,  it 
will   become   still  stronger   by  indulgence.      If 


106  INDIFFERENCE   TO   SIN. 

the  motives  to  repentance  now  fail  to  secure 
obedience,  they  will  act  with  constantly  in- 
creasing disadvantage  hereafter.  If  God  be 
justly  displeased  now,  he  will  be  more  and 
more  displeased  by  continued  disobedience. 
Every  day's  procrastination  therefore  increases, 
at  a  fearful  rate,  the  probability  of  our  final 
perdition. 


CONVICTION   OF   SIN.  107 


CHAPTER  IV. 

€0iiljkti0it  at  Bin. 

Section    I. — Knowledge   of  Sin — Sense   of  personal 

Ill-desert, 

Though  men  are  generally  so  indifferent  to 
their  sinfulness  and  danger,  it  often  pleases  God 
to  arouse  their  attention,  and  to  produce  a  deep 
conviction  of  the  truth  of  all  that  the  Bible 
teaches  on  these  subjects.  The  effects  of  such 
conviction  are  very  various,  because  they  are 
modified  by  the  temperament,  the  knowledge, 
the  circumstances  and  concomitant  exercises  of 
those  who  experience  it.  A  sentence  of  death, 
if  passed  upon  a  hundred  men,  w^ould  probably 
affect  no  two  of  them  alike.  The  mind  of  one 
might  fasten  particularly  on  the  turpitude  of  his 
crime;  that  of  another  upon  the  disgrace  which 
he  had  incurred ;  that  of  a  third  on  the  suffer- 
ings of  his  friends  on  his  account;  that  of  a 
fourth  upon  the  horrors  of  death,  or  upon  the 
fearfulness  of  appearing  before  God.  All  these 
and  many  other  views,  in  endless  combination, 
might  operate  with  different  degrees  of  force  on 
each,  and  the  result  be  still  further  modified  by 
their   physical   and    moral   temperament,   their 


108  CONVICTION   OF   SIN. 

knowledge  and  previous  history.  The  endless 
diversity,  therefore,  in  the  experience  of  men 
when  convinced  of  sin,  is  what  might  be  ex- 
pected; and  shows  it  to  be  impossible  to  give 
any  description  of  such  experience  that  shall 
be  applicable  to  all  cases.  It  will  be  sufficient 
briefly  to  state  what  the  Scriptures  teach  to  be 
necessary  on  this  subject. 

There  must  be  some  correct  knowledge  of  sin. 
It  is  clearly  the  doctrine  of  the  Scriptures,  con- 
firmed by  universal  experience,  that  men  are 
naturally  exceedingly  blind  on  this  subject. 
They  have  very  inadequate  ideas  of  the  nature 
of  this  evil.  Being  ignorant  of  the  holiness  of 
God,  they  do  not  regard  the  opposition  of  sin  to 
his  nature  so  much  as  its  effects  upon  themselves 
or  upon  society.  They  judge  of  it  by  a  wrong 
standard,  and  hence  all  their  judgments  respect- 
ing it  are  either  erroneous  or  defective.  Its  real 
nature,  or  the  real  source  of  its  evil,  in  a  great 
measure  escapes  their  notice.  Hence  a  thousand 
things  which  are  unquestionably  sinful,  they  in 
general  overlook  or  disregard.  It  is  not  so 
much  the  state  of  the  heart  towards  God,  as  the 
temper  and  deportment  of  one  man  towards  his 
fellow-men,  that  they  consider.  And  therefore 
they  often  regard  themselves  and  others  as 
really  good,  though  they  may  be  destitute  of 
any  one  right  sentiment  towards  their  Maker. 
Being  ignorant  of  the  true  nature  of  sin,  they 
have   no    conception   of   the    number   of   their 


CONVICTION   OF   SIN.  109 

transgressions.  They  are  disposed  to  estimate 
them  by  the  number  of  positive  or  overt  acts 
of  disobedience  to  the  moral  law;  overlooking 
the  habitual  state  of  the  heart,  the  uniform 
want  of  love,  faith,  and  due  reverence  towards 
God.  Nor  have  they  any  adequate  idea  of  the 
guilt  of  sin.  It  is  to  them,  as  it  exists  in  them- 
selves, comparatively  a  trifle.  Any  great  con- 
cern about  it  they  consider  unreasonable;  and, 
when  manifested  by  others,  hypocritical  or  fana- 
tical. There  is  a  deceitfulness  in  sin  by  which 
men  are  deluded  so  as  to  form  wrong  judgments 
as  to  its  nature,  its  extent,  its  turpitude  and 
power.  This  delusion  must  be  dispelled.  The 
eyes  must  be  opened  to  see  sin  as  it  is  repre- 
sented in  the  word  of  God,  as  an  exceedingly 
evil  and  bitter  thing,  as  extending  not  merely 
to  overt  acts  or  outbreaks  of  passion,  but  as 
deeply  seated  in  the  heart,  polluting  at  the 
fountain  the  streams  of  life;  as  really  deserv- 
ing the  punishment  which  God  has  denounced 
against  it;  and  as  having  such  hold  upon  the 
inward  principles  of  our  nature,  that  its  power 
cannot  be  broken  by  any  ordinary  exertion. 

This  insight  into  the  scriptural  account  of  sin 
is  attended  with  a  firm  conviction  of  its  truth ; 
and  this  conviction  is  inseparable  from  the  kind 
of  knowledge  of  which  we  are  now  speaking; 
because  it  is  in  fact  nothing  but  an  insight  into 
the   nature  of   the   scriptural  doctrine   as  true, 

or  as  accordant  with  the  moral  nature  which 

10 


110  CONVICTION   OF   SIN. 

God  has  given  us.  Men  therefore  are  not  thus 
convinced  either  by  argument  or  authority. 
They  see  and  feel  what  God  has  declared  con- 
cerning the  nature  and  evil  of  sin  to  be  true. 
Hence  the  conviction  is  irresistible,  even  when 
most  unwlecome.  We  often  see  it  taking  sud- 
den and  powerful  possession  of  the  soul,  when 
conscience  is  roused  from  its  torpor  and  assents 
to  the  declarations  of  God,  with  a  force  not  to 
be  resisted.  When  Paul  reasoned  of  righteous- 
ness, temperance,  and  judgment  to  come,  Felix 
trembled.  The  truth,  externally  presented, 
found  such  a  response  in  the  bosom  of  the  Ro- 
man governor,  that  he  could  not  disbelieve. 
This  is  in  accordance  with  daily  experience. 
The  cavils  of  men  against  the  unreasonable 
strictness  of  the  divine  law  and  their  objections 
against  the  justice  of  its  awful  penalty  vanish, 
in  a  moment,  when  their  eyes  are  open  to  see 
w4iat  the  law  and  its  violation  really  are.  And 
so  long  as  the  perception  lasts,  the  conviction 
remains.  If  they  can  succeed  in  shutting  out 
the  light,  and  in  quieting  conscience  roused  by 
its  intrusion,  they  become  as  skeptical  as  ever 
on  all  these  subjects.  In  many  cases  they  suc- 
ceed in  closing  their  eyes  on  what  they  hate 
to  see,  and  regain  their  former  unbelief.  But 
often  this  is  found  to  be  impossible,  especially 
on  the  near  apj^roach  of  death,  or  when  God  is 
about  to  pluck  them  as  brands  from  the  burning. 
Probably  a  day  does  not  pass  without  some  illus- 


CONVICTION   OF   SIN.  Ill 

tration  of  the  truth  of  these  remarks.  Men  who 
have  long  lived  in  unbelief  or  carelessness  are 
arrested  by  an  influence  which  they  can  neither 
understand  nor  resist.  There  is  no  new  reve- 
lation, no  novel  arguments,  no  conscious  process 
of  reasoning.  There  is  simply  a  perception  of 
the  truth  of  the  declarations  of  God  concerning 
sin.  Against  the  conviction  thence  arising, 
their  old  cavils,  the  arguments  and  assurances 
of  their  friends  have  no  effect.  They  do  not 
reach  the  point.  They  are  addressed  to  some- 
thing quite  foreign  to  the  ground  of  the  convic- 
tion, and  therefore  do  not  affect  it.  Though 
this  persuasion  of  the  truth  of  the  scriptural 
doctrine  respecting  sin  is  often  temporary,  it 
forms  an  essential  part  of  those  convictions 
which  are  abiding  and  saving.  Men  may  have 
this  persuasion  who  never  accept  the  offers  of 
salvation,  but  those  who  do  accept  them  cannot 
be  entirely  without  it. 

This  knowledge  of  sin,  which  enters  so  es- 
sentially into  the  nature  of  true  conviction,  is 
derived  from  the  law,  for  by  the  law  is  the 
knowledge  of  sin.  I  had  not  known  sin,  said 
the  apostle,  but  by  the  law.  For  without  the 
law,  sin  was  dead.  I  was  alive  without  the  law 
once ;  but  when  the  commandment  came,  sin 
revived  and  I  died.  It  is  clearly  taught,  in 
these  and  similar  passages,  that  the  apostle  was 
at  one  time  ignorant  of  the  extent  and  spiritual- 
ity of  the  law,  and  consequently  ignorant  of  sin. 


112  CONVICTION   OF   SIN. 

He  thought  himself  to  be  as  good  as  could  be 
reasonably  expected.  He  was  contented  and  at 
ease.  But  when  the  law  was  revealed  to  him 
in  its  true  character,  his  views  of  sin  were  at 
once  changed.  He  came  to  know  what  it  was, 
and  to  feel  its  power  over  himself.  A  thousand 
things,  which  before  had  appeared  indifferent  or 
trivial,  he  now  saw  to  be  aggravated  offences; 
and  especially  the  secret,  deep-seated  evil  of 
his  heart,  w^hich  had  escaped  his  knowledge 
or  regard,  was  detected  as  the  great  source  of 
all  other  sin. 

The  law  is  the  means  of  communicating  this 
knowledge,  because  it  is  an  expression  of  the 
perfect  holiness  of  God.  So  long  as  men  judge 
themselves  by  themselves,  and  compare  them- 
selves among  themselves,  they  will  be  in  the 
dark  as  to  their  true  character.  It  is  not  until 
they  judge  themselves  by  the  perfect  standard 
of  duty  contained  in  the  law  of  God,  that  they 
can  have  any  proper  knowledge  of  their  real 
character.  It  is  in  his  light  that  we  see  light. 
It  is  only  when  we  look  away  from  the  sinful 
beings  by  w4iom  we  are  surrounded,  and  feel 
ourselves  in  the  presence  of  the  jDcrfect  purity 
of  God,  that  we  are  sensible  of  the  extent  of 
our  departure  from  the  standard  of  excellence. 
It  is  therefore  both  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible 
and  the  experience  of  the  people  of  God,  that  the 
knowledge  of  sin  arises  from  the  apprehension  of 
the  divine  excellence  as  revealed  in  the  law. 


CONVICTION   OF   SIN.  11 


o 


There  is  no  doubt  great  diversity  in  the  expe- 
rience of  Christians  as  to  the  clearness  of  their 
views  on  this  subject.  In  some  cases  every 
thing  is  seen  as  through  a  glass,  darkly;  in 
others  there  is  such  a  discovery  of  the  infinite 
excellence  of  God  and  of  his  law,  as  to  fill  the 
mind  with  the  greatest  reverence  and  self-abase- 
ment. Sometimes  this  knowledge  steals  upon 
the  mind  as  imperceptibly  as  the  opening  day ; 
at  others,  in  a  moment,  the  truth  stands  dis- 
closed in  all  its  awful  purity.  The  man  who 
one  hour  was  unconcerned,  the  next  is  full  of 
astonishment  at  his  former  blindness.  He  won- 
ders how  it  was  possible  he  could  be  so  ignorant 
of  the  excellence  of  God  and  the  perfection  of 
his  law.  He  is  amazed  at  his  infatuation  in 
thinking  that  he  was  to  be  judged  by  the  com- 
mon standard  of  man's  judgment,  by  the  low 
demands  of  the  world  or  of  his  associates.  He 
now  sees  that  the  rule  by  which  he  is  to  be 
tried  is  infinitely  pure,  and  cannot  overlook  the 
least  transgression.  We  are  nowhere  taught 
what  degree  of  clearness  of  this  knowledge  is 
necessary  to  salvation.  We  only  know  that 
men  must  have  such  a  knowledge  of  sin  as  to 
bring  their  judgments  respecting  it  into  accord- 
ance with  the  declarations  of  God ;  that  instead 
of  that  perpetual  opposition  to  the  doctrine  of 
the  Scriptures  respecting  the  evil  and  extent 
of  sin,    which   men   so   generally   evince,  they 

must    be    brought   to   acquiesce    in   the   truth 

10* 


114  CONVICTION   OF   SIN. 

and  justice  of  all  God's  representations  on  the 
subject. 

Besides  this  knowledge  of  sin  and  assent  to 
the  scriptural  doctrine  on  the  subject,  there  is, 
in  genuine  conviction,  a  sense  of  personal  un- 
worthiness.  This  perhaps  has  been  in  a  mea- 
sure anticipated,  but  it  deserves  particular  consi- 
deration. Holy  beings  may  have  a  clear  percep- 
tion of  the  truth  as  presented  in  the  word  of 
God  respecting  the  nature  of  sin,  but  they  can 
have  no  sense  of  moral  turpitude.  And  among 
men  there  is  often  a  clear  understanding  of  the 
doctrine  on  this  subject,  and  a  general  assent  to 
its  truth,  w^ithout  any  adequate  conviction  that 
what  the  Bible  says  of  sinners  is  ap23licable  to 
us.  It  is  not  enough  therefore  that  we  should 
know  and  believe  what  the  Scriptures  teach 
respecting  sin — we  must  feel  that  it  is  all  true 
as  it  regards  ourselves.  There  must  be  an  as- 
sent of  our  own  consciousness  to  the  declaration 
that  the  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things  and 
desperately  wicked;  that  in  us,  that  is,  in  our 
flesh,  there  dwelleth  no  good  thing.  This  sense 
of  personal  un worthiness  is  the  princij^al  part  of 
conviction  of  sin.  It  is  the  opposite  of  that  false 
notion  of  our  own  excellence,  w  hich  we  are  so 
prone  to  indulge.  It  destroys  our  self-compla- 
cency, and  eradicates  the  disposition  to  justify 
ourselves  or  extenuate  our  guilt. 

The  most  certain  concomitant  of  this  sense  of 
moral  tur|)itude  in  the  sight  of  God,  is  shame. 


CONVICTION   OF   SIN.  115 

0  my  God,  cried  Ezra  under  a  sense  of  sin,  I  am 
ashamed  and  blush  to  lift  up  my  face  to  thee, 
my  God,  for  our  iniquities  are  increased  over 
our  head,  and  our  trespass  is  grown  up  unto 
the  heavens.  And  Daniel  said :  0  Lord,  right- 
eousness belongeth  unto  thee,  but  unto  us  con- 
fusion of  face,  as  at  this  day.  I  have  heard  of 
thee,  said  Job,  with  the  hearing  of  the  ear,  but 
now  my  eye  seeth  thee,  and  I  abhor  myself  and 
repent  in  dust  and  ashes.  And  in  another  place 
he  says :  Behold  I  am  vile,  what  shall  I  answer 
thee  ?  I  will  lay  my  hand  upon  my  mouth. 
The  same  feeling  is  expressed  by  the  Psalmist, 
when  he  says.  Mine  iniquities  have  taken  hold 
upon  me,  so  that  I  cannot  look  up ;  they  are 
more  than  the  hairs  of  my  head,  therefore  my 
heart  faileth  me.  The  same  emotion  filled  the 
bosom  of  the  publican,  when  he  would  not  so 
much  as  lift  up  his  eyes  to  heaven,  but  smote 
upon  his  breast  and  said,  God  be  merciful  to  me 
a  sinner. 

With  this  sense  of  unworthiness  are  mingled, 
in  a  greater  or  less  degree,  the  feelings  of  con- 
trition and  remorse;  sorrow  for  our  innumer- 
able offences,  and  bitter  self-condemnation.  To 
these  are  often  added  perplexity  and  fear  of  the 
wrath  of  God ;  a  dread  lest  our  sins  never  can 
be  forgiven,  lest  our  defilement  never  can  be 
washed  away.  No  suffering  in  this  world  can 
exceed  what  the  soul  often  endures  under  the 
pressure  of  these  feelings.      It  cries  out  with 


116  CONVICTION   OF   SIN. 

Paul,  0  wretched  man  that  I  am,  who  shall  de- 
liver me  from  the  body  of  this  death  ?  Or  it 
is  forced  to  say  with  Job,  The  arrows  of  the 
Almighty  are  within  me,  the  poison  whereof 
drinketh  up  my  spirits ;  and  the  terrors  of  God 
do  set  themselves  in  array  against  me.  Or 
with  David,  While  I  suffer  thy  terrors  I  am  dis- 
tracted; thy  fierce  wrath  goeth  over  me;  thy 
terrors  have  cut  me  off. 

With  the  inspired  record  of  the  experience  of 
God's  people  on  this  subject,  we  find  the  lan- 
guage of  his  more  eminent  servants  in  later 
times  remarkably  coincident.  The  confessions 
of  Augustin  are  full  of  similar  expressions  of 
humiliation  and  anguish  under  a  sense  of  sin. 
And  even  the  stout  heart  of  Luther  was  so 
broken  by  his  inward  sufferings,  that  his  life 
was  long  a  burden  almost  too  heavy  for  him  to 
bear.  But  while  it  is  no  doubt  true  that  it  is  the 
natural  tendency  of  correct  apprehensions  of  our 
real  character  in  the  sight  of  God  to  produce 
these  strong  emotions  of  humiliation  and  sorrow; 
and  while  it  is  no  less  true  that  those  who  have 
made  the  most  eminent  attainments  in  holi- 
ness, have  generally  had  the  largest  share  of 
these  inward  trials,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that 
they  are  necessary  to  the  character  of  a  Chris- 
tian. On  the  contrary,  a  believing  apprehen- 
sion of  the  mercy  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ,  while 
it  would  not  prevent  humiliation  and  peniten- 
tial sorrow  on  account  of  sin,  would  effectually 


CONYICTTON   OF   SIN.  117 

extract  the  bitterness  of  remorse  and  fear  from 
tlie  cup  of  repentance.  There  is  no  true  religion 
in  these  terrors  and  fearful  apprehensions.  The 
death-bed  of  the  impenitent  often  exhibits  this 
sense  of  guilt,  humiliation,  remorse,  dread  of 
23unishment,  and  other  indications  of  an  enlight- 
ened and  awakened  conscience.  And  in  many 
cases  those  who  have  suffered  all  this  distress, 
lose  their  serious  impressions  and  sink  into  their 
former  carelessness.  Though,  therefore,  the  pain 
of  remorse  and  dread  of  the  wrath  of  God  often 
attend  conviction  of  sin,  they  do  not  constitute 
it.  In  many  cases  there  is  little  of  this  agita- 
tion of  feeling.  Perhaps  the  most  frequent  form 
of  religious  experience  on  this  subject  is  a  deep 
distress  on  account  of  the  want  of  an  excitement 
of  feeling  corresponding  with  the  judgment  of 
the  understandins;  and  conscience.  The  com- 
mon  complaint  with  many  is,  that  they  cannot 
feel ;  that  their  hearts  are  like  ice ;  that  the 
knowledge  and  perception  of  their  ingratitude 
and  disobedience  produce  little  or  no  emotion. 
Such  persons  would  gladly  exchange  their  insen- 
sibility for  the  keenest  anguish ;  their  constant 
prayer  is  that  God  would  take  from  them  their 
heart  of  stone,  and  give  them  a  heart  of  flesh. 
This  form  of  experience  is  just  as  consistent 
with  the  nature  of  conviction  of  sin  as  the  other. 
All  that  is  necessary  is  the  testimony  of  con- 
science to  the  justice  of  the  divine  representa- 
tions of  our  character   and  conduct;    the  con- 


118  CONYICTION   OF   SIN. 

sciousness  and  acknowledgment  that  we  are 
what  God  declares  us  to  be.  Where  this  judg- 
ment of  the  conscience  or  this  sense  of  personal 
unworthiness  exists,  leading  the  sinner  to  lay 
his  hand  upon  his  mouth  in  the  presence  of 
God,  and  to  bow  at  his  feet  as  undeserving  of 
mercy,  there,  as  far  as  this  point  is  concerned, 
is  genuine  conviction. 

This  state  of  mind  may  be  produced  in  very 
different  ways.  Sometimes  it  is  the  result  of  a 
calm  review  of  life  and  a  comparison  of  the 
habitual  state  of  the  heart  and  general  course 
of  our  conduct  with  the  law  of  God.  Sometimes 
some  one  offence  more  than  commonly  aggra- 
vated seizes  upon  the  conscience,  some  broken 
vow,  some  neglected  call,  some  open  sin,  is 
made  the  means  of  revealing  the  man  to  him- 
self. Whatever  may  be  the  particular  occasion, 
the  mind  is  led  to  fix  itself  on  its  responsibility 
to  God,  and  the  conviction  of  its  guilt  becomes 
settled  and  confirmed.  This  is  necessary  to  the 
sinner's  return  to  God.  So  long  as  he  thinks 
himself  whole,  he  will  not  apply  to  the  physi- 
cian. So  long  as  he  regards  his  sins  as  either 
few  or  trivial,  he  will  feel  no  concern  for  pardon 
or  sanctification.  But  when  his  eyes  are  opened 
and  his  conscience  aroused,  he  feels  that  his  case 
demands  immediate  and  earnest  attention;  he 
knows  himself  to  be  unprepared  to  meet  his 
God,  that  his  sins  are  so  great  that  they  cannot 
be  forgiven,  unless  he  obtains  an  interest  in  the 


CONVICTION   OF   SIN.  119 

redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus.  Every  true 
Christian  is  in  some  way  brought  to  this  con- 
viction and  acknowledgment  of  personal  ill- 
desert  in  the  sight  of  God. 

In  the  third  place,  conviction  of  sin  includes 
a  conviction  of  our  condemnation  before  God. 
A  sense  of  sin  is  a  sense  of  unworthiness,  and 
a  sense  of  unworthiness  involves  a  sense  of  just 
exposure  to  the  divine  displeasure.  It  may  be 
proper  to  notice  three  very  distinct  states  of 
mind  in  reference  to  this  subject.  It  is  very 
obvious  that  our  views  of  the  punishment  due 
to. sin  must  depend  upon  our  views  of  sin  itself 
If  we  have  inadequate  apprehensions  of  the  evil 
of  sin,  we  shall  have  inadequate  apprehensions 
of  the  punishment  which  it  deserves.  Hence 
in  the  great  majority  of  men  there  is  a  secret 
disbelief  of  the  scriptural  representations  on  this 
subject.  They  cannot  reconcile  the  declarations 
of  God  respecting  the  doom  of  the  impenitent 
with  their  views  of  his  justice  and  mercy,  and 
therefore  they  cannot  believe  them.  And  it 
very  often  happens  that  the  sense  of  sin  which 
serious  people  experience  is  insufficient  to  over- 
come this  unbelief,  or  at  least  the  strong  oppo- 
sition of  the  heart  to  what  the  Bible  teaches  on 
this  subject.  They  feel  that  they  are  sinners, 
they  feel  that  they  deserve  the  displeasure  of 
God,  but  they  still  experience  a  secret  revolting 
against  the  dreadful  denunciations  of  the  Scrip- 
tures against  all  sin.     "To  submit  to  the  cou- 


120  CONVICTION  OF   SIN. 

demning  power  of  the  holy  law  of  God,"  says 
Dr.  Milner,  "is  a  hard  matter,  a  very  hard  mat- 
ter indeed  to  do  this  thoroughly.  My  under- 
standing has  shown  me,  for  many  years,  that 
this  w^as  the  touchstone  of  a  sound  conversion ; 
and  I  have  been  busy  enough  in  noting  the  de- 
fect of  it  in  others ;  but  as  to  myself,  if  I  have 
got  on  at  all  in  this  respect,  it  is  very  lately 
indeed.  The  heart  is  sadly  deceitful  here ;  for, 
with  Christ's  salvation  before  one's  eye,  one  may 
easily  f^mcy  that  God  is  just  and  equitable  in 
condemning  sinners ;  when  if  you  put  the  case, 
only  for  a  moment,  to  your  own  heart  seriously, 
as  a  thing  likely  to  happen,  the  heart  will  rise 
against  such  a  dispensation ;  perhaps  indeed 
with  a  smothered  sort  of  opposition  and  dislike, 
but  which  is  very  steady  and  determined. 
Nothing  less  than  the  Holy  Ghost  himself  can 
cure  this,  by  showing  us  the  glory  of  God  in 
the  face  of  Jesus  Christ."*  That  the  soul 
should  revolt  at  the  idea  of  its  own  misery  is 
the  law^  of  our  nature,  and  never  can  be  eradi- 
cated. This  is  not  the  sentiment  which  it  is 
intended  to  condemn,  but  the  opposition  of  the 
heart  to  the  truth  and  justice  of  God's  declara- 
tions respecting  the  punishment  due  to  sin.  It 
is  this  opposition,  this  disposition  to  criminate 
God,  to  regard  him  as  unjustly  severe,  which 
ought  to  be  subdued ;  because  it  shows  that  our 

*  Wilberforce's  Correspondence. 


CONVICTION   OF   SIN.  121 

hearts  are  not  in  harmony  with  his  word ;  that 
we  regard  as  unjust  what  he  pronounces  just. 
All  experience  shows  that  this  is  a  very  com- 
mon state  of  mind.  And  its  existence  proves 
that  our  views  of  the  ill-desert  of  sin  have  not 
been  sufficiently  clear  to  bring  us  to  submit  to 
the  plan  which  God  has  revealed  for  our  re- 
demption from  deserved  condemnation. 

The  opposite  extreme  to  this  is  the  feeling 
that  our  sins  are  so  great  that  they  cannot  be 
forgiven.  This  is  no  uncommon  persuasion. 
When  there  is  a  clear  discovery  of  the  evil  of 
sin,  with  no  concomitant  apprehension  of  the 
true  plan  of  salvation,  despair  is  the  natural  re- 
sult. The  judgment  of  conscience  is  known  to 
be  true  when  it  pronounces  our  sins  to  be  de- 
serving of  death.  And  unless  the  soul  sees  how 
God  can  be  just  and  yet  justify  the  sinner,  it 
cannot  hope  for  mercy.  Nothing  can  be  more 
pitiable  than  a  soul  in  this  condition.  Its  views 
of  the  justice  of  God  and  of  the  evil  of  sin  are 
neither  false  nor  exaggerated.  It  is  their  truth 
which  gives  them  power,  and  which  renders 
futile  the  soothing  assurances  of  friends  that 
God  will  not  be  so  strict  in  marking  iniquity, 
or  that  the  sinner's  guilt  is  not  so  great  as  he 
imagines.  An  enlightened  conscience  cannot 
be  thus  appeased,  and  if  such  be  the  only 
sources  of  consolation  to  which  it  has  access, 
it  must  despair. 

Li  a  Christian  country,  however,  the  know- 

11 


122  CONVICTION   OF   SIN. 

ledge  of  the  plan  of  salvation  is  so  generally 
diffused,  that  it  seldom  fails,  even  when  imper- 
fectly understood,  to  calm  or  restrain  the  appre- 
hensions of  God's  displeasure.  It  is  known 
that  God  can  pardon  sin,  that  there  is  salvation 
at  least  for  some,  for  some  have  been  saved. 
And  although  the  sinner  is  often  disposed  to 
think  that  his  is  an  excejDted  case,  or  that  there 
is  some  peculiar  aggravation  in  his  guilt,  w^hich 
puts  him  beyond  the  reach  of  mercy,  yet  he 
cannot  be  sure  that  such  is  the  case.  And  in 
his  darkest  hours  the  belief  in  the  possibility 
of  salvation  is  not  entirely  destroyed. 

Between  these  extremes  of  inimical  opposi- 
tion to  the  truth  of  God  as  to  the  just  expo- 
sure of  the  sinner  to  condemnation  and  the 
despair  of  mercy  which  arises  from  unbelief, 
lies  genuine  conviction  of  ill-desert.  If  religious 
experience  is  the  conformity  of  our  judgments 
and  feelings  to  the  truths  that  are  revealed  in 
the  Scriptures,  and  if  it  is  there  revealed  that 
the  wages  of  sin  is  death,  our  judgment  and 
feeling  must  assent  to  that  truth;  we  must 
admit  that  such  is  the  just  desert  of  sin  and 
of  our  sins.  There  must  be  no  disposition  to 
complain  of  the  extent  or  severity  of  the  law; 
but  such  a  sense  of  ill-desert  in  the  sight  of 
God  as  shall  lead  us  to  lie  at  his  feet,  sensible 
that  he  can  neither  do  nor  threaten  wrong, 
and  that  forgiveness  must  be  a  matter  entirely 
of  grace.      It  is  obvious  that  there  can  be  no 


CONVICTION   OF    SIN.  123 

intelligent  acceptance  of  Christ  as  a  Saviour 
Avithout  this  conviction  of  our  exposure  to  con- 
demnation, and  there  can  be  no  conviction  of 
such  exposure  without  a  perception  of  the  jus- 
tice of  the  penalty  of  the  law.  It  is,  how^ever, 
to  be  remembered  that  there  are  many  things 
involved  in  Christian  experience  which  may 
not  be  the  object  of  distinct  attention.  It  may, 
therefore,  well  happen  that  many  pass  from 
death  unto  life  without  any  lively  apprehension 
of  the  wrath  of  God,  or  any  very  distinct  im- 
pression that  all  that  he  has  threatened  against 
sin  might  be  justly  injQicted  upon  them.  Their 
attention  may  have  been  arrested  and  their 
hearts  moved  by  the  exhibition  of  the  love  of 
God  in  Christ,  and  they  may  have  been  con- 
scious, at  the  time,  of  little  more  than  a  cordial 
acquiescence  in  the  gospel,  and  the  desire  and 
purpose  to  live  for  the  service  of  God.  Still, 
even  in  such  persons,  as  soon  as  their  attention 
is  directed  to  the  subject,  there  is  a  full  recog- 
nition of  ill-desert,  a  readiness  to  acknowledge 
that  salvation  is  a  matter  of  grace,  and  that 
they  would  have  no  right  to  complain  had  they 
been  left  to  perish  in  their  sins.  Diversified, 
therefore,  as  may  be  the  experience  of  God's 
people  on  this  subject,  they  agree  in  acknow- 
ledging the  justice  of  God  in  his  demands  and 
his  threatenings,  and  in  regarding  themselves 
as  unworthy  of  the  least  of  all  his  favours. 


124  CONVICTION   OF   SIN. 

Sectiox    II. — Insufficiency  of  our  own  Righteousness 
and  of  our  own  Strength, 

Another  essential  characteristic  of  genuine 
conviction  is  the  persuasion  that  our  own  good 
works  are  entirely  insufficient  to  recommend  us 
to  God,  or  to  be  the  ground  of  our  acceptance  be- 
fore him.  Since  the  Scriptures  declare  that  we 
are  justified  freely,  not  by  works,  lest  any  man 
should  boast,  but  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  our 
experience  must  accord  with  this  declaration. 
We  must  have  such  views  of  the  holiness  of 
God,  of  the  extent  of  his  law  and  of  our  own 
un worthiness,  as  shall  make  us  fully  sensible 
that  we  cannot,  by  our  own  works,  secure  either 
pardon  or  acceptance.  It  is  easy  to  profess  that 
we  do  not  trust  to  our  own  righteousness,  but 
really  to  divest  ourselves  of  all  reliance  upon 
our  supposed  excellence  is  a  difficult  task. 
When  a  man  is  roused  to  a  sense  of  his  guilt 
and  danger,  his  first  impulse  is  almost  always 
to  fly  to  any  other  refuge  than  that  provided 
in  the  gospel.  The  most  natural  method  of 
appeasing  conscience  is  the  promise  of  reforma- 
tion. Particular  sins  are  therefore  forsaken, 
and  a  struggle,  it  may  be,  is  maintained  against 
all  others.  This  conflict  is  often  long  and 
painful,  but  it  is  always  unsuccessful.  It  is 
soon  found  that  sin,  in  one  form  or  other,  is 
constantly  getting  the  mastery,  and  the  soul 
feels  that  something  more  must   be  done  if  it 


CONVICTION   OF   SIN.  125 

is  ever  to  make  itself  fit  for  heaven.  It  is, 
therefore,  ready  to  do,  or  to  submit  to  any 
thing  which  appears  necessary  for  this  purpose. 
What  particular  form  of  works  it  may  be  which  it 
endeavours  to  weave  into  a  robe  of  righteousness, 
depends  on  the  degree  of  knowledge  Avhich  it  pos- 
sesses, or  the  kind  of  religious  instruction  which 
it  receives.  When  greatly  ignorant  of  the  gospel, 
it  endeavours,  by  painful  penances,  self-imposed 
or  prescribed  by  priestly  authority,  to  make 
satisfaction  for  its  sins.  Experience  teaches 
that  there  is  no  extremity  of  self-denial  to  which 
a  conscience-stricken  man  will  not  gladly  submit 
as  a  means  of  satisfying  the  demands  of  God. 
If  heaven  were  really  to  be  gained  by  such 
means,  we  should  see  the  road  crowded  by  the 
young  and  old,  the  rich  and  poor,  the  learned 
and  ignorant,  in  multitudes  as  countless  as  those 
which  throng  the  cruel  temples  of  the  Hindoos, 
or  which  perish  on  the  burning  sands  of  Arabia. 
This  is  the  easiest,  the  pleasantest,  the  most 
congenial  of  all  the  methods  of  salvation  taught 
by  the  cunning  craftiness  of  men.  It  is  no  won- 
der that  those  who  teach  it  as  the  doctrine  of 
the  gospel  should  iind  submissive  hearers.  If 
men  can  be  allowed  to  purchase  heaven,  or 
make  atonement  for  past  transgressions,  by  pre- 
sent suffering,  they  will  gladly  undertake  it. 
This  is  so  congenial  to  the  human  heart,  that 
men   who    are    w^ell   informed,    and   who   pride 

themselves  on  their  independence  of  mind,  are 

II* 


126  CONVICTION   OF   SIN. 

scarcely  less  apt  to  be  caught  in  the  meshes  of 
this  net  than  their  more  ignorant  brethren. 
We  see,  therefore,  statesmen  and  philosophers, 
as  well  as  peasants,  wearing  sackcloth,  or  walk- 
ing barefoot,  at  the  bidding  of  their  religious 
teachers. 

In  Protestant  countries,  w^here  the  Bible  is 
generally  accessible,  it  is  rare  to  see  any  such 
gross  exhibitions  of  the  spirit  of  self-righteous- 
ness. The  Scriptures  so  clearly  teach  the  me- 
thod of  salvation,  that  almost  every  one  knows 
that  at  least  mere  external  works  of  morality  or 
discipline  cannot  avail  to  our  justification  before 
God.  We  must  have  a  finer  robe — a  robe  com- 
posed of  duties  of  a  higher  value.  Prayers  are 
multiplied,  the  house  of  God  is  frequented,  the 
whole  routine  of  religious  duties  is  assiduously 
attended  to,  under  the  impression  that  thus  we 
shall  satisfy  the  demands  of  God  and  secure  his 
favour.  Multitudes  are  contented  with  this 
routine.  Their  apprehensions  of  the  character 
and  requirements  of  God,  of  the  evil  of  sin,  and 
of  their  own  ill-desert  are  so  low,  that  this  re- 
medy is  adequate  for  all  the  wounds  their  con- 
sciences feel.  The  performance  of  their  social 
and  religious  duties  seems  sufficient,  in  their 
view,  to  entitle  them  to  the  character  of  reli- 
gious men ;  and  they  are  satisfied.  Thus  it  was 
with  Paul,  who  considered  himself,  as  touching 
the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  blameless. 
But  all  his  strictness  of  moral  duty  and  religious 


CONVICTION   OF    SIN.  127 

obsen^ance  was  discovered  to  be  worthless,  so 
far  as  satisfying  the  demands  of  God  is  con- 
cerned. And  every  man,  who  is  brought  to 
accept  the  offer  of  salvation  as  presented  in  the 
gospel,  is  made  to  feel  that  it  is  not  for  any 
thing  which  he  either  does  or  abstains  from 
doing,  that  his  sins  are  pardoned  and  his  per- 
son accepted  before  God.  Nay,  he  sees  that 
what  men  call  their  good  works  are  so  impure, 
as  to  be  themselves  a  ground  of  condemnation. 
What  are  cold,  wandering,  selfish,  irreverent 
prayers  but  offences  against  God,  whom  we  pre- 
tend to  propitiate  by  services  which  are  but  a 
mockery  of  his  holiness?  And  what  is  any 
routine  of  heartless  observances,  or,  if  not  heart- 
less, at  least  so  imperfect  as  to  fail  of  securing 
even  our  own  approbation,  in  the  eyes  of  Him 
before  whom  the  heavens  are  unclean?  What 
approach  can  such  services  make  either  towards 
satisfying  the  present  demands  of  God,  or  aton- 
ing for  years  of  neglect  and  sin?  It  requires 
but  little  insight  into  the  state  of  his  own  heart, 
or  the  real  character  of  the  divine  law,  to  con- 
vince the  sinner  that  he  must  have  a  better 
righteousness  than  that  which  consists  of  his 
own  duties  or  observances. 

From  this  foundation  of  sand  the  convinced 
sinner  is,  therefore,  soon  driven,  but  he  betakes 
himself  to  another  refuge  nearer  the  cross,  as  he 
supposes,  and  wliich  seems  to  require  more  self- 
renunciation.     He  ceases  to  think  of  establish- 


128  CONVICTION   OF    SIN. 

ing  his  own  righteousness,  but  he  still  wishes  to 
be  made  worthy  to  receive  the  righteousness  of 
God.  He  knows  that  he  can  never  cancel  his 
debt  of  guilt,  that  his  best  services  are  unworthy 
of  acceptance,  that  with  all  his  circumspection 
he  never  lives  a  day  in  full  compliance  with  the 
just  demands  of  the  law,  and  consequently  that 
his  salvation  must  be  of  grace;  but  he  still 
thinks  he  must  in  some  way  merit  that  grace, 
or  at  least  be  prepared  by  some  observance  or 
some  experience  for  its  reception.  The  dis- 
tressed soul  imagines  that  if  it  could  be  more 
distressed,  more  humbled,  more  touched  with 
sorrow  or  remorse,  it  might  then  find  accept- 
ance. It  sees  that  its  long  course  of  disobe- 
dience and  ingratitude,  its  rejection  of  Christ, 
its  disregard  of  mercies  and  warnings,  its  thou- 
sand sins  of  commission  and  omission,  if  forgiven 
at  all,  must  be  gratuitously  pardoned ;  but  this 
hardness  of  heart,  this  want  of  due  tenderness 
and  penitence,  is  a  sin  w^hich  must  first  be  got 
out  of  the  way,  before  the  others  can  be  re- 
mitted. It  is,  however,  only  one  of  the  long, 
black  catalogue.  It  can  no  more  be  separately 
conquered  or  atoned  for,  before  coming  to  Christ, 
than  any  other  sin  of  heart  or  life.  It  is  often 
long  before  the  soul  is  brought  to  see  this,  or  to 
feel  that  it  is  really  endeavouring  to  make  itself 
better  before  applying  to  the  physician ;  to  ac- 
complish at  least  some  preparatory  part  of  sal- 
vation for  itself,  so  as  not  to  be  entirely  indebted 


CONVICTION   OF   SIN.  129 

to  the  Redeemer.  At  last,  however,  the  soul 
discovers  its  mistake ;  it  finds  that  Christ  does 
not  save  sinners  for  their  tenderness  or  convic- 
tion, that  tears  are  not  more  worthy  of  accept- 
ance than  fasting  or  almsgiving;  that  it  is  the 
unworthy,  the  hard-hearted,  the  ungodly,  those 
who  have  nothing  to  recommend  them,  that 
Christ  came  to  save,  and  whom  he  accepts  in 
order  to  render  them  contrite  and  tender-hearted 
and  obedient.  These  graces  are  his  gifts,  and  if 
we  stay  away  from  him  until  we  get  them  our- 
selves, we  must  perish  in  our  sins.  To  this  en- 
tire self-renunciation,  this  absolute  rejection  of 
every  thing  in  itself  as  the  ground  or  reason  of 
its  acceptance,  must  the  soul  be  brought  before 
it  embraces  the  offers  of  the  gospel. 

It  is  included  in  what  has  been  said  that  a 
consciousness  of  our  own  weakness  is  a  neces- 
sary ingredient  or  consequence  of  true  convic- 
tion. There  is  not  only  a  giving  up  of  our  own 
righteousness,  but  of  our  own  strength.  All 
that  is  necessary  here,  as  on  other  points,  is 
that  we  should  feel  what  is  true.  If  it  is  the 
doctrine  of  the  Bible  that  the  sinner  can  change 
his  own  heart,  subdue  his  sins,  excite  all  right 
affections,  then  genuine  religious  experience  re- 
quires that  this  truth  should  be  known,  not 
merely  as  a  matter  of  speculation,  but  as  a  mat- 
ter of  consciousness.  But  if  the  Scriptures 
teach  that  this  change  of  heart  is  the  work  of 
the  Holy  Spirit;  that  we  are  born  not  of  the 


130  CONVICTION   OF   SIN. 

will  of  man  but  of  God ;  that  it  is  the  exceed- 
ing greatness  of  the  divine  power  that  operates 
in  them  that  believe,  quickening  those  who  were 
dead  in  trespasses  and  sins,  creating  them  anew 
in  Christ  Jesus,  so  that  they  are  his  workman- 
ship, created  unto  good  works ;  if  from  one  end 
of  the  Scriptures  to  the  other,  the  internal  work 
of  salvation  is  declared  to  be  not  by  the  might 
or  power  of  man,  but  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord, 
then  is  this  one  of  the  great  truths  of  revelation 
of  which  we  must  be  convinced.  Our  experi- 
ence must  accord  with  this  representation,  and 
we  must  feel  that  to  be  true  in  our  case  which 
God  declares  to  be  true  universally. 

When  a  man  is  brought  to  feel  that  he  is  a 
sinner,  that  his  heart  is  far  from  being  right  in 
the  sight  of  God,  he  as  naturally  turns  to  his 
own  strength  to  effect  a  change,  and  to  bring 
himself  up  to  the  standard  of  the-  law,  as  he 
turns  to  his  own  works  as  a  compensation  for 
his  sins,  or  as  a  ground  of  confidence  towards 
God.  His  efforts,  therefore,  are  directed  to  sub- 
due the  power  of  sin,  and  to  excite  religious 
feelings  in  his  heart.  He  endeavours  to  mortify 
pride,  to  subdue  the  influence  of  the  body,  to 
wean  himself  from  the  world.  He  gives  up  his 
sinful  or  worldly  associates ;  he  strengthens  his 
purposes  against  evil ;  he  forces  himself  to  dis- 
charge the  most  ungrateful  duties,  and  exercises 
himself  in  self-denial.  At  the  same  time  he 
tries  to  force  himself  into  a  right  state  of  mind, 


CONVICTION   OF   SIN.  131 

to  make  himself  believe,  repent,  love  and  exer- 
cise all  the  Christian  graces  of  meekness,  humi- 
lity, brotherly  kindness  and  charity ;  that  is,  he 
tries  to  make  himself  religious.  He  does  every 
thing  in  his  own  strength  and  to  save  himself.- 
Sometimes  this  course  is  pursued  to  the  end  of 
life.  At  others  it  is  continued  for  years,  and 
then  found  to  be  all  in  vain.  Wesley  tells  us 
this  was  the  kind  of  religion  which  he  had,  until 
his  visit  to  America  and  his  intercourse  with 
the  Moravians.  This  is  the  religion  of  ascetics, 
which  may  be  persevered  in,  through  stress  of 
conscience  or  fear  of  perdition,  with  great  strict- 
ness and  constancy.  Almost  every  man  makes 
trial  of  it.  He  will  be  his  own  saviour,  if  he 
can.  It  is  found,  however,  by  those  who  are 
taught  of  God,  to  be  a  hopeless  task.  The  sub- 
tle e^dl  of  the  heart  is  not  to  be  subdued  by  any 
such  efforts.  If  we  force  ourselves  to  forego  the 
pleasures  of  sin,  we  cannot  destroy  the  desire  of 
forbidden  joys.  If  we  refuse  to  gratify  pride,  we 
cannot  prevent  its  aspirations.  If  we  relinquish 
the  pursuit  of  worldly  things,  we  still  retain  the 
love  of  the  world.  If  we  force  ourselves  to  per- 
form religious  duties,  we  cannot  make  those  du- 
ties a  delight.  If  we  compel  ourselves  to  think 
of  God,  we  cannot  force  ourselves  to  love  him, 
to  desire  communion  with  him,  to  take  pleasure 
in  his  servdce,  and  to  delight  in  all  his  require- 
ments. No  one  can  tell  the  misery  arising  from 
these  painful  and   ineffectual   struggles;    these 


132  CONVICTION   OF   SIN. 

vain  attempts  to  subdue  sin  and  excite  the 
Christian  graces.  If  any  thing  could  be  taken 
as  a  substitute  for  them;  if  making  many 
prayers,  or  submitting  to  any  sufiering,  could 
be  taken  as  an  equivalent,  it  would  be  gladly 
acceded  to.  But  to  change  the  heart,  to  delight 
in  God,  to  be  really  spiritual  and  holy,  is  a 
work  the  sinner  finds  to  be  above  his  strength, 
and  yet  absolutely  necessary.  Kepeated  failures 
do  not  destroy  his  delusion ;  he  still  thinks  that 
this  is  his  work,  and  that  he  must  do  it,  or  be 
lost.  He  therefore  struggles  on,  he  collects  all 
his  strength,  and  at  length  suddenly  discovers 
it  to  be  perfect  weakness.  He  finds  that  if  he 
is  ever  renewed  and  made  holy,  it  must  be  the 
work  of  God,  and  he  cries  in  the  depth  of  his 
distress,  Lord,  save  me,  or  I  perish.  He  gives 
up  working  in  his  own  strength,  and  sees,  what 
he  wonders  he  never  saw  before,  that  the  Chris- 
tian virtues  are  really  graces,  i.  e.  gifts;  that 
they  are  not  excellencies  to  be  wrought  out  by 
ourselves,  but  favours  bestowed  through  Christ 
and  for  Christ's  sake ;  that  it  is  the  Holy  Spirit 
purchased  and  sent  by  Him  that  is  to  change 
the  heart  and  convince  of  sin,  righteousness  and 
judgment;  that  faith,  repentance,  joy,  peace, 
humility  and  meekness  are  the  fruits  of  that 
Spirit,  and  not  the  products  of  our  own  evil 
hearts;  that  if  we  could  make  ourselves  holy, 
we  should  scarcely  need  a  Saviour;  and  that 
it  is   the   greatest  of  all   delusions   to   suppose 


CONYICTION  OF   SIN.  133 

that  we  must  be  holy  before  we  come  to  God 
through  Christ,  mstead  of  holiness  being  the 
result  of  our  reconciliation.  While  we  are 
under  the  law,  we  bring  forth  fruit  unto  death. 
It  is  not  until  we  are  free  from  the  law  and  re- 
conciled to  God  by  the  death  of  his  Son,  that  we 
bring  forth  fruit  unto  righteousness.  This  great 
truth,  though  written  on  every  page  of  the  Bible, 
every  man  has  to  learn  for  himself.  He  cannot 
be  made  to  understand  it  by  reading  it  in  the 
Scriptures,  or  by  being  told  it  by  others.  He 
must  try  his  own  strength  until  he  finds  it  to 
be  nothing,  before  he  submits  to  be  saved  by 
the  grace  of  God,  and  bowing  at  the  feet  of 
Jesus,  in  utter  despair  of  any  other  helper, 
says.  Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make  me 
clean. 

The  man,  therefore,  whom  the  Holy  Ghost 
convinces  of  sin,  he  causes  to  understand  and 
believe  what  God  has  revealed  on  this  subject. 
He  makes  him  feel  that  wdiat  He  declares  to  be 
true  of  all  men  is  true  of  him ;  that  he  deserves 
what  God  declares  all  men  deserve ;  that  he  has 
no  merit  to  recommend  him  to  God,  and  no 
strength  to  change  his  own  heart.  This  know- 
ledge the  Spirit  communicates  through  the  law, 
w^iich,  by  presenting  the  perfect  rule  of  duty, 
shows  us  how  far  short  we  come  of  the  glory  of 
God,  and  how  often  and  justly  we  have  incur- 
red its  penalty;  which  convinces  us  that  we 
are  entirely  unable  to  comply  with  its  righteous 

12 


134  CONYICTION   OF   SIN. 

demand,  and  that  no  mere  objective  presentation 
of  what  is  holy,  just  and  good,  can  change  the 
heart,  or  destroy  the  power  of  in-dwelling  sin ; 
since  even  when  we  see  the  excellence  of  the 
law,  we  do  not  conform  to  it,  and  cannot  do  the 
things  that  we  would,  but  ever  find  a  law  in 
our  members  warring  against  the  law  of  our 
minds,  and  bringing  us  into  subjection  to  the 
law  of  sin.  It  is  thus  that  the  law  is  a  school- 
master to  bring  us  to  Christ;  to  drive  us  from 
every  refuge  of  our  own  righteousness  and 
strength,  to  Him  who  is  made  of  God,  unto 
those  that  believe^  both  justification  and  sanc- 
tification. 


JUSTIFICATION.  135 


CHAPTER  V. 

Section  I. — Importance  of  the  Doctrine — Explanation 
of  the  Scriptural  Terms  relatiyig  to  it — Justification 
is  not  hy  Works. 

The  state  of  mind  described  in  the  preceding 
chapter  cannot  be  long  endured.  Some  way  of 
satisfying  the  demands  of  conscience  must  be 
adopted.  When  the  mind  is  enlightened  by 
divine  truth  and  duly  impressed  with  a  sense  of 
guilt,  it  cannot  fail  anxiously  to  inquire,  How 
can  a  man  be  just  with  God?  The  answer 
given  to  this  question  decides  the  character  of 
our  religion,  and,  if  jDractically  adopted,  our 
future  destiny.  To  give  a  wrong  answer,  is  to 
mistake  the  way  to  heaven.  It  is  to  err  where 
error  is  fatal,  because  it  cannot  be  corrected. 
If  God  require  one  thing  and  we  present  an- 
other, how  can  we  be  saved  ?  If  he  has  revealed 
a  method  in  which  he  can  be  just  and  yet  jus- 
tify the  sinner,  and  if  we  reject  that  method  and 
insist  upon  pursuing  a  different  way,  how  can 
\mi  hope  to  be  accepted?  The  answer,  there- 
fore, which  is  given  to  the  above  question  should 
be  seriously  pondered  by  all  who  assume  the 


136  JUSTIFICATION. 

office  of  religious  teachers,  and  by  all  who  rely 
upon  their  instructions.  As  we  are  not  to  be 
judged  by  proxy,  but  every  man  must  answer 
for  himself,  so  every  man  should  be  satisfied  for 
himself  what  the  Bible  teaches  on  this  subject. 
All  that  religious  teachers  can  do,  is  to  endea- 
vour to  aid  the  investigations  of  those  who  are 
anxious  to  learn  the  way  of  life.  And  in  doing 
this,  the  safest  method  is  to  adhere  strictly  to 
the  instructions  of  the  Scriptures,  and  exhibit 
the  subject  as  it  is  there  presented.  The  sub- 
stance and  the  form  of  this  all-important  doc- 
trine are  so  intimately  connected,  that  those 
who  attempt  to  separate  them  can  hardly  fail 
to  err.  What  one  discards  as  belonging  merely 
to  the  form,  another  considers  as  belonging  to 
its  substance.  All  certainty  and  security  are 
lost  as  soon  as  this  method  is  adopted,  and  it 
becomes  a  matter  to  be  decided  exclusively  by 
our  own  views  of  right  and  wrong  what  is  to 
be  retained  and  what  rejected  from  the  scrip- 
tural representations.  Our  only  security,  there- 
fore, is  to  take  the  language  of  the  Bible  in  its 
obvious  meaning,  and  put  upon  it  the  construc- 
tion which  the  persons  to  whom  it  was  addressed 
must  have  given,  and  which,  consequently,  the 
sacred  writers  intended  it  should  bear. 

As  the  doctrine  of  justification  is  not  only 
frequently  stated  in  the  sacred  Scriptures,  but 
formally  taught  and  vindicated,  all  that  will  be 
attempted  in  this  chapter  is  to  give^  as  faith- 


JUSTIFICATION.  137 

fully  as  possible,  a  representation  of  what  the 
inspired  writers  inculcate  on  this  subject;  that 
is,  to  state  what  positions  they  assume,  by  what 
arguments  they  sustain  those  positions,  how  they 
answer  the  objections  to  their  doctrine,  and  what 
aj)plication  they  make  of  it  to  the  hearts  and 
consciences  of  their  readers. 

It  is  one  of  the  primary  doctrines  of  the  Bible, 
everywhere  either  asserted  or  assumed,  that  we 
are  under  the  law  of  God.  This  is  true  of  all 
classes  of  men,  whether  they  enjoy  a  divine  re- 
velation or  not.  Every  thing  which  God  has 
revealed  as  a  rule  of  duty,  enters  into  the  con- 
stitution of  the  law  which  binds  those  to  whom 
that  revelation  is  given,  and  by  which  they  are 
to  be  ultimately  judged.  Those  who  have  not 
received  any  external  revelation  of  the  divine 
will  are  a  law  unto  themselves.  The  knowledge 
of  right  and  wrong,  written  upon  their  hearts,  is 
of  the  nature  of  a  divine  law,  having  its  author- 
ity and  sanction,  and  by  it  the  heathen  are  to  be 
judged  in  the  last  day. 

God  has  seen  fit  to  annex  the  promise  of  life 
to  obedience  to  his  law.  The  man  that  doeth 
these  things  shall  live  by  them,*  is  the  language 
of  Scripture  on  this  subject.  To  the  lawyer  who 
admitted  that  the  law  required  love  to  God  and 
man,  our  Saviour  said.  Thou  hast  answered  right. 
This  do,  and  thou  shalt  live.f     And  to  one  who 


*  Rom.  X.  5.  t  Luke  x.  28. 

12* 


138  JUSTIFICATION. 

asked  him,  What  good  thing  shall  I  do  that  I 
may  have  eternal  life  ?  he  said,  If  thou  wouldst 
enter  into  life,  keep  the  commandments.*  On 
the  other  hand,  the  law  denounces  death  as  the 
penalty  of  transgression.  The  wages  of  sin  is 
death.  Such  is  the  uniform  declaration  of 
Scripture  on  this  subject. 

The  obedience  which  the  law  demands  is 
called  righteousness ;  and  those  who  render  that 
obedience  are  called  righteous.  To  ascribe  right- 
eousness to  any  one,  or  to  pronounce  him  right- 
eous, is  the  scriptural  meaning  of  the  word  to 
justify.  The  word  never  means  to  make  good 
in  a  moral  sense,  but  always  to  pronounce  just 
or  righteous.  Thus  God  says,  I  will  not  justify 
the  wicked.f  Judges  are  commanded  to  justify 
the  righteous  and  to  condemn  the  wicked.J  Wo 
is  pronounced  on  those  who  justify  the  wicked 
for  a  reward. §  In  the  New  Testament  it  is  said, 
By  the  deeds  of  the  law  shall  no  flesh  be  justi- 
fied in  his  sight.  1 1  It  is  God  who  justifieth,  who 
is  he  that  condemneth  ?^  There  is  scarcely  a 
word  in  the  Bible  the  meaning  of  which  is  less 
open  to  doubt.  There  is  no  passage  in  the 
New  Testament  in  which  it  is  used  out  of  its 
ordinary  and  obvious  sense.**  When  God  jus- 
tifies a  man,  he  declares   him  to  be  righteous. 

*  ]\[att.  xix.  17.  t  Ex.  xxiii.  7.  J  Deut.  xxv.  1. 

§  Isa.  V.  23.  II  Rom.  iii.  20.  ^  Rom.  viii.  33,  34. 

**  Rev.  xxii.  11,  is  probably  no  exception  to  this  remark,  as 
the  text  in  that  passage  is  uncertain. 


JUSTIFICATION.  139 

To  justify  never  means  to  render  one  holy. 
It  is  said  to  be  sinful  to  justify  the  wicked ; 
but  it  could  never  be  sinful  to  render  the 
wicked  holy.  And  as  the  law  demands  right- 
eousness, to  impute  or  ascribe  righteousness  to 
any  one  is,  in  scriptural  language,  to  justify. 
To  make  (or  constitute)  righteous,  is  another 
equivalent  form  of  expression.  Hence  to  be 
righteous  before  God,  and  to  be  justified,  mean 
the  same  thing ;  as  in  the  following  passage : 
Not  the  hearers  of  the  law  are  righteous  before 
God,  but  the  doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified.* 
The  attentive,  and  especially  the  anxious  reader 
of  the  Bible  cannot  fail  to  observe  that  these 
various  expressions,  to  be  righteous  in  the  sight 
of  God,  to  impute  righteousness,  to  constitute 
righteous,  to  justify,  and  others  of  similar  import, 
are  so  interchanged  as  to  explain  each  other, 
and  to  make  it  clear  that  to  justify  a  man  is 
to  ascribe  or  impute  to  him  righteousness.  The 
great  question  then  is.  How  is  this  righteousness 
to  be  obtained  ?  We  have  reason  to  be  thankful 
that  the  answer  which  the  Bible  gives  to  this 
question  is  so  perfectly  plain. 

In  the  first  place,  that  the  righteousness  by 
which  we  are  to  be  justified  before  God,  is  not 
of  works,  is  not  only  asserted  but  proved.  The 
apostle's  first  argument  on  this  point  is  derived 
from  the  consideration  that  the  law  demands  a 

*  Rom.  ii.  13. 


140  JUSTIFICATION. 

perfect  righteousness.  If  the  law  were  satisfied 
by  an  imperfect  obedience,  or  by  a  routine  of 
external  duties,  or  by  any  service  which  men 
are  competent  to  render,  then  indeed  justifica- 
tion would  be  by  works.  But  since  it  demands 
perfect  obedience,  justification  by  works  is,  for 
sinners,  absolutely  impossible.  It  is  thus  the 
apostle  reasons.*  As  many  as  are  of  the  works 
of  the  law,  are  under  the  curse.  For  it  is  writ- 
ten. Cursed  is  every  one  that  continueth  not  in 
all  things  written  in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do 
them.  As  the  law  pronounces  its  curse  upon 
every  man  who  continues  not  to  do  all  that  it 
commands,  and  as  no  man  can  pretend  to  this 
perfect  obedience,  it  follows  that  all  who  look 
to  the  law  for  justification  must  be  condemned. 
To  the  same  effect,  in  the  following  verse,  he 
says.  The  law  is  not  of  faith,  but  the  man  that 
doeth  them  shall  live  by  them.  That  is,  the 
law  is  not  satisfied  by  any  single  grace  or  im- 
perfect obedience.  It  knows  and  can  know  no 
other  ground  of  justification  than  complete  com- 
pliance with  its  demands.  Hence  in  the  same 
chapter,  Paul  says.  If  there  had  been  a  law 
which  could  have  given  life,  verily  righteous- 
ness would  have  been  by  the  law.  Could  the 
law  pronounce  righteous,  and  thus  give  a  title 
to  the  promised  life  to  those  who  had  broken 
its  commands,  there  would  have  been  no  neces- 

*Gal.iii.  10. 


JUSTIFICATION.  141 

sity  of  any  other  provision  for  the  salvation  of 
men ;  but  as  the  law  cannot  thus  lower  its  de- 
mands, justification  by  the  law  is  impossible. 
The  same  truth  is  taught  in  a  different  form, 
when  it  is  said,  If  righteousness  come  by  the 
law,  Christ  is  dead  in  vain.*  There  would 
have  been  no  necessity  for  the  death  of  Christ, 
if  it  had  been  possible  to  satisfy  the  law  by 
the  imperfect  obedience  which  we  can  render. 
Paul  therefore  warns  all  those  who  look  to 
works  for  justification,  that  they  are  debtors  to 
do  the  whole  law.f  It  knows  no  compromise; 
it  cannot  demand  less  than  what  is  right,  and 
perfect  obedience  is  right,  and  therefore  its  only 
language  is  as  before.  Cursed  is  every  one  that 
continue th  not  in  all  things  written  in  the  book 
of  the  law  to  do  them ;  and.  The  man  that 
doeth  those  things  shall  live  by  them.  Every 
man,  therefore,  who  expects  justification  by 
works,  must  see  to  it,  not  that  he  is  better  than 
other  men,  or  that  he  is  very  exact  and  does 
many  things,  or  that  he  fasts  twice  in  the  week, 
and  gives  tithes  of  all  he  possesses,  but  that  he 

is  SINLESS. 

That  the  law  of  God  is  thus  strict  in  its 
demands,  is  a  truth  which  lies  at  the  foundation 
of  all  Paul's  reasoning  in  reference  to  the  me- 
thod of  justification.  He  proves  that  the  Gen- 
tiles have  sinned   against  the   law  written  on 

*Gal.ii.21.  tGal.v.3. 


142  JUSTIFICATION. 

tlieir  hearts,  and  that  the  Jews  have  broken  the 
Law  revealed  in  their  Scriptures ;  both  Jews  and 
Gentiles  therefore  are  under  sin,  and  the  whole 
world  is  guilty  before  God.  Hence  he  infers 
that  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh 
be  justified  in  His  sight.  There  is,  however,  no 
force  in  this  reasoning,  except  on  the  assumption 
that  the  law  demands  perfect  obedience.  How 
many  men,  who  freely  acknowledge  that  they 
are  sinners,  depend  upon  their  works  for  accept- 
ance with  God !  They  see  no  inconsistency 
between  the  acknowledgment  of  sin  and  the 
expectation  of  justification  by  works.  The  rea- 
son is,  they  proceed  upon  a  very  different  prin- 
ciple from  that  adopted  by  the  apostle.  They 
suppose  that  the  law  may  be  satisfied  by  very 
imperfect  obedience.  Paul  assumes  that  God 
demands  perfect  conformity  to  his  will,  that  his 
wrath  is  revealed  against  all  ungodliness  and 
unrighteousness  of  men.  With  him  therefore 
it  is  enough  that  men.  have  sinned,  to  prove 
that  they  cannot  be  justified  by  works.  It  is 
not  a  question  of  degrees,  more  or  less,  for  as 
to  this  23oint  there  is  no  difference,  since  all 
have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of 
God. 

This  doctrine,  though  so  plainly  taught  in 
Scripture,  men  are  disposed  to  think  very  severe. 
They  imagine  that  their  good  deeds  will  be  com- 
pared with  their  evil  deeds,  and  that  they  will 
be  rewarded  or  punished  as  the  one  class  or  the 


JUSTIFICATION.     ^  143 

other  preponderates ;  or  that  the  sins  of  one 
part  of  life  may  be  atoned  for  by  the  good  works 
of  another;  or  that  they  can  escape  by  mere 
confession  and  repentance.  They  could  not 
entertain  such  expectations,  if  they  beheved 
themselves  to  be  under  a  law.  No  human  law 
is  administered  as  men  seem  to  hope  the  law 
of  God  will  be.  He  who  steals  or  murders, 
though  it  be  but  once,  though  he  confesses  and 
repents,  though  he  does  any  number  of  acts  of 
charity,  is  not  less  a  thief  or  murderer.  The 
law  cannot  take  cognisance  of  his  repentance 
and  reformation.  If  he  steals  or  murders,  the 
law  condemns  him.  Justification  by  the  law  is 
for  him  impossible.  The  law  of  God  extends  to 
the  most  secret  exercises  of  the  heart.  It  con- 
demns, whatever  is  in  its  nature  evil.  If  a  man 
violate  this  perfect  rule  of  right,  there  is  an  end 
of  justification  by  the  law;  he  has  failed  to 
comply  with  its  conditions,  and  the  law  can 
only  condemn  him.  To  justify  him,  would  be  to 
say  that  he  had  not  transgressed.  Men  however 
think  that  they  are  not  to  be  dealt  with  on  the 
principles  of  strict  law.  Here  is  their  fatal  mis- 
take. It  is  here  that  they  are  in  most  direct 
conflict  with  the  Scriptures,  which  proceed  upon 
the  uniform  assumption  of  our  subjection  to  the 
law.  Under  the  government  of  God,  strict  law 
is  nothing  but  perfect  excellence;  it  is  the 
steady  exercise  of  moral  rectitude.  Even  con- 
science, when  duly  enlightened  and  roused,  is 


144  ^     JUSTIFICATION. 

as  strict  as  the  law  of  God.  It  refuses  to  be  ap- 
peased by  repentance,  reformation,  or  penance. 
It  enforces  every  command  and  every  denun- 
ciation of  our  Supreme  Kuler,  and  teaches,  as 
plainly  as  do  the  Scriptures  themselves,  that 
justification  by  an  imperfect  obedience  is  im- 
possible. As  conscience  however  is  fallible,  no 
reliance  on  this  subject  is  placed  on  her  testi- 
mony. The  appeal  is  to  the  word  of  God, 
which  clearly  teaches  that  it  is  impossible  a 
sinner  can  be  justified  by  works,  because  the 
law  demands  perfect  obedience. 

The  apostle's  second  argument  to  show  that 
justification  is  not  by  works,  is  the  testimony 
of  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  Testament.  This 
testimony  is  urged  in  various  forms.  In  the 
first  place,  as  the  apostle  proceeds  upon  the 
principle  that  the  law  demands  perfect  obe- 
dience, all  those  passages  which  assert  the  uni- 
versal sinfulness  of  men  are  so  many  declara- 
tions that  they  cannot  be  justified  by  works. 
He  therefore  quotes  such  passages  as  the  fol- 
lowing :  There  is  none  righteous,  no  not  one. 
There  is  none  that  understandeth,  there  is  none 
that  seeketh  after  God.  They  are  all  gone  out 
of  the  way ;  they  are  altogether  become  unpro- 
fitable ;  there  is  none  that  doeth  good,  no  not 
one.*  The  Old  Testament,  by  teaching  that 
all  men  are  sinners,  does,  in  the  apostle's  view, 

*  Rom.  iii.  10-12. 


JUSTIFICATION.  145 

thereby  teach  that  they  can  never  be  accepted 
before  God  on  the  ground  of  their  own  right- 
eousness. To  say  that  a  man  is  a  sinner,  is  to 
sav  that  the  law  condemns  him ;  and  of  course 
it  cannot  justify  him.  As  the  ancient  Scrip- 
tures are  full  of  declarations  of  the  sinfulness  of 
men,  so  they  are  full  of  proof  that  justification 
is  not  by  works. 

But,  in  the  second  place,  Paul  cites  their 
direct  affirmative  testimony  in  support  of  his 
doctrine.  In  the  Psalms  it  is  said,  Enter  not 
into  judgment  with  thy  servant;  for  in  thy 
sight  shall  no  man  living  be  justified.'^'  This 
passage  he  often  quotes;  and  to  the  same  class 
belong  all  those  passages  which  speak  of  the 
insufficiency  or  worthlessness  of  human  right- 
eousness in  the  sight  of  God. 

In  the  third  place,  the  apostle  refers  to  those 
passages  which  imply  the  doctrine  for  which  he 
contends ;  that  is,  to  those  which  speak  of  the 
acceptance  of  men  with  God  as  a  matter  of 
grace,  as  something  which  they  do  not  deserve, 
and  for  which  they  can  urge  no  claim  founded 
upon  their  own  merit.  It  is  with  this  view  that 
he  refers  to  the  language  of  David :  Blessed  are 
they  whose  iniquities  are  forgiven,  and  whose 
sins  are  covered.  Blessed  is  the  man  to  whom 
the  Lord  will  not  impute  sin.f  The  f^ict  that 
a  man    is   forgiven,  implies  that   he  is  guilty; 


*  Ps.  cxliii.  2.  t  Rom.  iv.  7,  8. 

13 


146  JUSTIFICATION. 

and  the  fact  that  he  is  guilty,  implies  that  his 
justification  cannot  rest  upon  his  own  character 
or  conduct.  It  need  hardly  be  remarked,  that  in 
this  view  the  whole  Scriptures,  from  beginning 
to  the  end,  are  crowded  with  condemnations  of 
the  doctrine  of  justification  by  works.  Every 
penitent  confession,  every  appeal  to  God's  mer- 
cy, is  a  renunciation  of  all  personal  merit,  a 
declaration  that  the  penitent's  hope  w^as  not 
founded  on  any  thing  in  himself.  Such  con- 
fessions and  appeals  are  indeed  often  made  by 
those  who  still  rely  upon  their  good  works,  or 
inherent  righteousness,  for  acceptance  with  God. 
This,  however,  does  not  invalidate  the  apostle's 
argument.  It  only  shows  that  such  persons 
have  a  different  view  of  what  is  necessary  for 
justification  from  that  entertained  by  the 
apostle.  They  suppose  that  the  demands  of 
the  law  are  so  low,  that  although  they  are  sin- 
ners and  need  to  be  forgiven,  they  can  still  do 
w^hat  the  law  demands.  Whereas,  Paul  pro- 
ceeds on  the  assumption  that  the  law  requires 
perfect  obedience,  and  therefore  every  confession 
of  sin  or  appeal  for  mercy  involves  a  renuncia- 
tion of  justification  by  the  law. 

Again,  the  apostle  represents  the  Old  Testa- 
ment as  teaching  that  justification  is  not  by 
works,  by  showing  that  they  inculcate  a  differ- 
ent method  of  obtaining  acceptance  with  God. 
This  they  do  by  the  doctrine  which  they  teach 
concerning  the  Messiah  as  a  Eedeemer  from  sin. 


JUSTIFICATION.  147 

Hence  Paul  says,  that  the  method  of  justifica* 
tion  without  works,  (not  founded  upon  works,) 
was  testified  by  the  law  and  the  prophets,  that 
is,  by  the  whole  of  the  Old  Testament.  The 
two  methods  of  acceptance  with  God,  the  one 
by  works,  the  other  by  a  propitiation  for  sin, 
are  incompatible.  And  as  the  ancient  Scrip- 
tures teach  the  latter  method,  they  repudiate 
the  former.  But  they  moreover,  in  express 
terms,  assert.  That  the  just  shall  live  by  faith. 
And  the  law  knows  nothing  of  faith ;  its  lan- 
guage is,  The  man  that  doeth  them  shall  live 
by  them.*  The  law  knows  nothing  of  any 
thing  but  obedience  as  the  ground  of  acceptance. 
If  the  Scriptures  say  we  are  accepted  through 
faith,  they  thereby  say  that  we  are  not  accepted 
on  the  ground  of  obedience. 

Again,  the  examples  of  justification  given  in 
the  Old  Testament  show  that  it  was  not  by 
works.  The  apostle  appeals  particularly  to  the 
case  of  Abraham,  and  asks,  Whether  he  attained 
justification  by  works?  and  answers,  No;  for 
if  he  w^ere  justified  by  works,  he  had  whereof  to 
glory,  but  he  had  no  ground  of  glorying  before 
God,  and  therefore  he  was  not  justified  by 
works.  And  the  Scriptures  exjoressly  assert, 
Abraham  believed  God,  and  it  was  imputed  to 
him  for  righteousness.  His'  acceptance,  there- 
fore, was  by  faith,  and  not  by  works. 

*  Gal.  iii.  11,12. 


148  JUSTIFICATION. 

In  all  these  various  ways  does  the  apostle 
make  the  authority  of  the  Old  Testament  sus- 
tain his  doctrine  that  justification  is  not  by 
works.  This  authority  is  as  decisive  for  us  as 
it  was  for  the  ancient  Jewish  Christians.  We 
also  believe  the  Old  Testament  to  be  the  word  of 
God,  and  its  truths  come  to  us  explained  and  en- 
forced by  Christ  and  his  apostles.  We  have  the 
great  advantage  of  an  infallible  interpretation  of 
these  early  oracles  of  truth,  and  the  argumenta- 
tive manner  in  which  their  authority  is  cited 
and  applied  prevents  all  obscurity  as  to  the  real 
intentions  of  the  sacred  writers.  That  by  the 
deeds  of  the  law  no  flesh  shall  be  justified  before 
God,  is  taught  so  clearly  and  so  frequently  in 
the  New  Testament,  it  is  so  often  asserted,  so 
formally  proved,  so  variously  assumed,  that  no 
one  can  doubt  that  such  is  indeed  the  doctrine 
of  the  word  of  God.  The  only  point  on  which 
the  serious  inquirer  can  even  raise  a  question  is, 
What  kind  of  works  do  the  Scriptures  mean  to 
exclude  as  the  foundation  for  acceptance  with 
God?  Does  the  apostle  mean  works  in  the 
widest  sense,  or  does  he  merely  intend  cere- 
monial observances,  or  works  of  mere  formality 
performed  without  any  real  love  to  God  ? 

Those  who  attend  to  the  nature  of  his  asser- 
tions, and  to  the  course  of  his  argument,  will 
find  that  there  is  no  room  for  doubt  on  this 
subject.  The  primary  principle  on  which  his 
argument   rests   precludes   all   ground   for  mis- 


JUSTIFICATION.  149 

taking  his  meaning.  He  assumes  that  the  law 
demands  perfect  obedience,  and  as  no  man  can 
render  that  obedience,  he  infers  that  no  man 
can  be  justified  by  the  law.  He  does  not  argue 
that  because  the  law  is  spiritual,  it  cannot  be 
satisfied  by  mere  ceremonies  or  by  works  flow- 
ing from  an  impure  motive.  He  nowhere  says, 
that  though  we  cannot  be  justified  by  external 
rites,  or  by  works  having  the  mere  form  of 
goodness,  we  are  justified  by  our  sincere  though 
imperfect  obedience.  On  the  contrary,  he  con- 
stantly teaches  that  since  we  are  sinners,  and 
since  the  law  condemns  all  sin,  it  condemns  us, 
and  justification  by  the  law  is  therefore  impos- 
sible. This  argument  he  applies  to  the  Jews 
and  the  Gentiles  without  distinction,  to  the 
whole  world,  whether  they  knew  any  thing  of 
the  Jewish  Scriptures  or  not.  It  was  the  moral 
law,  the  law  which  he  pronounced  holy,  just 
and  good,  which  says.  Thou  shalt  not  covet; 
it  is  this  law,  however  revealed,  whether  in  the 
writings  of  Moses  or  in  the  human  heart,  of 
which  he  constantly  asserts  that  it  cannot  give 
life,  or  teach  the  way  of  accejDtance  with  God. 
As  most  of  those  to  whom  he  wrote  had  enjoyed 
a  divine  revelation,  and  as  that  revelation  in- 
cluded the  law  of  Moses  and  all  its  rites,  he  of 
course  included  that  law  in  his  statement,  and 
often  specially  refers  to  it;  but  never  in  its 
limited  sense  as  a  code  of  religious  ceremonies, 
but   always   in   its  widest   scope,   as   including 


150  JUSTIFICATION. 

the  highest  rule  of  moral  duty  made  known  to 
men.  And  hence  he  never  contrasts  one  class 
of  works  with  another,  but  constantly  works 
and  faith,  excluding  all  classes  of  the  former, 
works  of  righteousness  as  well  as  those  of  mere 
formality.  Not  by  works  of  righteousness  which 
we  have  done,  but  according  to  his  mercy  he 
hath  saved  us.*  Who  hath  saved  us,  not  ac- 
cording to  our  works.")*  We  are  saved  by  faith, 
not  by  works.J  Nay,  men  are  said  to  be  justi- 
fied without  works ;  to  be  in  themselves  ungodly 
when  justified ;  and  it  is  not  until  they  are  jus- 
tified that  they  perform  any  really  good  works. 
It  is  only  when  united  to  Christ  that  we  bring 
forth  fruit  unto  God.  Hence  we  are  said  to  be 
his  workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto 
good  works.  All  the  inward  excellence  of  the 
Christian  and  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  are  the 
consequences  and  not  the  causes  of  his  recon- 
ciliation and  acceptance  with  God.  They  are 
the  robe  of  beauty,  the  white  garment,  with 
which  Christ  arrays  those  who  come  to  him 
poor  and  blind  and  naked.  It  is  then  the  plain 
doctrine  of  the  word  of  God  that  our  justifica- 
tion is  not  founded  uj)on  our  own  obedience  to 
the  law.  Nothing  done  by  us  or  wrought  in  us 
can  for  a  moment  stand  the  test  of  a  rule  of 
righteousness  which  pronounces  a  curse  upon 
all  those  who  continue  not  in  all  things  written 
in  the  book  of  the  law  to  do  them. 

*  Titus  iii.  5.  f  2  Tim.  i.  9.  J  Eph.  ii.  9. 


JUSTIFICATION.  151 

Section  II. — The  Demands  of  the  Law  are  satisfied 
hy  what  Christ  has  done. 

We  have  thus  seen  that  the  Scriptures  teach 
first,  that  all  men  are  naturally  under  the  law 
as  prescribing  the  terms  of  their  acceptance  with 
God;  and  secondly,  that  no  obedience  which 
sinners  can  render  is  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  de- 
mands of  that  law.  It  follows  then  that  unless 
we  are  freed  from  the  law,  not  as  a  rule  of  duty, 
but  as  prescribing  the  conditions  of  acceptance 
with  God,  justification  is  for  us  impossible.  It  is, 
therefore,  the  third  great  point  of  scriptural  doc- 
trine on  this  subject,  that  believers  are  free  from 
the  law  in  the  sense  just  stated.  Ye  are  not 
under  the  law,  says  the  apostle,  but  under 
grace.*  To  illustrate  this  declaration,  he  refers 
to  the  case  of  a  woman  who  is  bound  to  her  hus- 
band as  long  as  he  lives,  but  when  he  is  dead, 
she  is  free  from  her  obligation  to  him,  and  is  at 
liberty  to  marry  another  man.  So  we  are  de- 
livered from  the  law  as  a  rule  of  justification, 
and  are  at  liberty  to  embrace  a  different  method 
of  obtaining  acceptance  w^ith  God.f  Paul  says 
of  himself  J  that  he  had  died  to  the  law,  i.  e. 
become  free  from  it.  And  the  same  is  said  of 
all  believers.§  He  insists  upon  this  freedom  as 
essential  not  only  to  justification  but  to  sancti- 

*Rom.  vi.  14.  fRom.vii.  I,  6. 

X  Gal.  ii.  19.  g  Rom.  vii.  6. 


152  JUSTIFICATION. 

fication.  For  while  under  the  law,  the  motions 
of  sin,  which  were  by  the  law,  brought  forth 
fruit  unto  death,  but  now  we  are  delivered  from 
the  law,  that  we  may  serve  God  in  newness  of 
spirit.*  Before  faith  came  we  were  kept  under 
the  law,  which  he  compares  to  a  schoolmaster, 
but  now  we  are  no  longer  under  a  schoolmaster.-]* 
He  regards  the  desire  to  be  subject  to  the  law 
as  the  greatest  infatuation.  Tell  me,  he  says, 
ye  that  desire  to  be  under  the  law.  Do  ye  not 
hear  the  law  ?  and  then  shows  that  those  who 
are  under  the  demands  of  a  legal  system,  are  in 
the  condition  of  slaves  and  not  of  sons  and  heirs. 
Stand  fast,  therefore,  he  exhorts,  in  the  liberty 
wherewith  Christ  hath  made  us  free.  Behold  I 
Paul  say  unto  you,  that  if  ye  be  circumcised, 
Christ  shall  profit  you  nothing.  For  I  testify 
to  every  one  that  is  circumcised,  that  he  is  a 
debtor  to  do  the  whole  law.  Christ  has  become 
of  no  effect  to  you;  whosoever  of  you  are  justi- 
fied by  the  law,  ye  are  fallen  from  grace.J  This 
infatuation  Paul  considered  madness,  and  ex- 
claims, 0  foolish  Galatians,  who  hath  bewitched 
you,  that  ye  should  not  obey  the  truth,  before 
whose  eyes  Jesus  Christ  hath  been  evidently 
set  forth,  crucified  among  you?  This  only 
would  I  learn  of  you.  Received  ye  the  Spirit  by 
the  works  of  the  law,  or  by  the  hearing  of  faith?  § 

*  Rom.  vii.  5,  G.  f  Gal.  iii.  24, 25. 

J  Gal.  V.  1-4.  ^  Gal.  iii.  1,2. 


JUSTIFICATION.  1 5  3 

This  apostasy  was  so  fatal,  the  substitution  of 
legal  obedience  for  the  work  of  Christ  as  the 
ground  of  justification  was  so  destructive,  that 
Paul  pronounces  accursed  any  man  or  angel  who 
should  preach  such  a  doctrine  for  the  gospel  of 
the  grace  of  God. 

It  was  to  the  law,  as  revealed  in  the  books  of 
Moses,  that  the  fickle  Galatians  were  disposed 
to  look  for  justification.  Their  apostasy,  how- 
ever, consisted  in  going  back  to  the  law,  no 
matter  in  what  form  revealed,  to  works,  no 
matter  of  what  kind,  as  the  ground  of  justifica- 
tion. The  apostle^s  arguments  and  denuncia- 
tions, therefore,  are  so  framed  as  to  apply  to 
the  adoption  of  any  form  of  legal  obedience, 
instead  of  the  work  of  Christ,  as  the  ground  of 
our  confidence  towards  God.  To  suppose  that 
all  he  says  relates  exclusively  to  a  relapse  into 
Judaism,  is  to  suppose  that  we  Gentiles  have  no 
part  in  the  redemption  of  Christ.  If  it  was 
only  from  the  bondage  of  the  Jewish  economy 
that  he  redeemed  his  people,  then  those  who 
were  never  subject  to  that  bondage  have  no 
interest  in  his  work.  And  of  course  Paul  was 
strangely  infatuated  in  preaching  Christ  crucified 
to  the  Gentiles.  We  find,  however,  that  what  he 
taught  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians  in  special 
reference  to  the  law  of  Moses,  he  teaches  in  the 
Epistle  to  the  Romans  in  reference  to  that  law 
which  is  holy,  just  and  good,  and  which  con- 
demns the  most  secret  sins  of  the  heart. 


154  JUSTIFICATION. 

The  nature  of  the  apostle's  doctrine  is,  if  pos- 
sible, even  more  clear  from  the  manner  in  which 
he  vindicates  it,  than  from  his  direct  assertions. 
What  then !  he  asks,  shall  we  continue  in  sin, 
because  we  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under 
grace  ?  God  forbid.  Had  Paul  taught  that  we 
are  freed  from  the  ceremonial,  in  order  to  be 
subject  to  the  moral  law,  there  could  have  been 
no  room  for  such  an  objection.  But  if  he  taught 
that  the  moral  law  itself  could  not  give  life, 
that  we  must  be  freed  from  its  demands  as  the 
condition  of  acceptance  with  God,  then  indeed, 
to  the  wise  of  this  world,  it  might  seem  that  he 
was  loosing  the  bands  of  moral  obligation,  and 
opening  the  door  to  the  greatest  licentiousness. 
Hence  the  frequency  and  earnestness  with  which 
he  repels  the  objection,  and  shows  that  so  far 
from  legal  bondage  being  necessary  to  holiness, 
it  must  cease  before  holiness  can  exist ;  that  it 
is  not  until  the  curse  of  the  law  is  removed,  and 
the  soul  reconciled  to  God,  that  holy  affections 
rise  in  the  heart,  and  the  fruits  of  holiness  ap- 
pear in  the  life.  Do  we  then  make  void  the 
law  through  faith?  God  forbid:  yea,  we  establish 
the  law.* 

It  is  then  clearly  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible 
that  believers  are  freed  from  the  law  as  prescrib- 
ing the  conditions  of  their  acceptance  with  God ; 
it  is  no  longer  incumbent  upon  them,  in  order  to 

*  Rom.  iii.  31. 


JUSTIFICATION.  155 

justification,  to  fulfil  its  demand  of  perfect  obe- 
dience, or  to  satisfy  its  penal  exactions.  But 
how  is  this  deliverance  effected?  How  is  it 
that  rational  and  accountable  beings  are  ex- 
empted from  the  obligations  of  that  holy  and 
just  law,  which  was  originally  imposed  upon 
their  race  as  the  rule  of  justification?  The 
answer  to  this  question  includes  the  fourth 
great  truth  respecting  the  way  of  salvation 
taught  in  the  Scriptures.  It  is  not  by  the  ab- 
rogation of  the  law,  either  as  to  its  precepts  or 
penalty ;  it  is  not  by  lowering  its  demands,  and 
accommodating  them  to  the  altered  capacities 
or  inclinations  of  men.  We  have  seen  how 
constantly  the  apostle  teaches  that  the  law  still 
demands  perfect  obedience,  and  that  they  are 
debtors  to  do  the  whole  law  who  seek  justifica- 
tion at  its  hands.  He  no  less  clearly  teaches 
that  death  is  as  much  the  wages  of  sin  in  our 
case,  as  it  was  in  that  of  Adam.  If  it  is  nei- 
ther by  abrogation  nor  relaxation  that  we  are 
freed  from  the  demands  of  the  law,  how  has 
this  deliverance  been  effected  ?  By  the  mystery 
of  vicarious  obedience  and  suffering.  This  is 
the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God.  This  is  what 
was  a  scandal  to  the  Jews,  and  foolishness  to 
the  Greeks,  but,  to  those  that  are  called,  the 
power  of  God  and  the  wisdom  of  God. 

The  Scriptures  teach  us  that  the  Son  of  God, 
the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory  and  the  ex- 
press image  of  his  person,  who  thought  it  not 


156  JUSTIFICATION. 

robbery  to  be  equal  with  God,  became  flesh, 
and  subjected  himself  to  tlie  very  law  to  which 
we  wei'e  bound ;  that  he  perfectly  obeyed  that 
law,  and  suffered  its  penalty,  and  thus,  by  satis- 
fying its  demands,  delivered  us  from  its  bondage 
and  introduced  us  into  the  glorious  liberty  of 
the  sons  of  God.  It  is  thus  that  the  doctrine 
of  redemption  is  presented  in  the  Scriptures. 
God,  says  the  apostle,  sent  forth  his  Son,  made 
of  a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  that  he  might 
redeem  those  that  were  under  the  law.*  Being 
made  under  the  law,  he  obeyed  it  perfectly,  and 
brought  in  everlasting  righteousness,  and  is 
therefore  declared  to  be  the  Lord  our  right- 
eousness, since,  by  his  obedience,  many  are 
constituted  righteous.f  He,  therefore,  is  said 
to  be  made  righteousness  unto  us.J  And  those 
who  are  in  him  are  said  to  be  righteous  before 
God,  not  having  their  own  righteousness,  but 
that  which  is  by  the  faith  of  Christ.§ 

That  we  are  redeemed  from  the  curse  of  the 
law  by  Christ's  enduring  that  curse  in  our  place, 
is  taught  in  every  variety  of  form  from  the  begin- 
ning to  the  end  of  the  Bible.  There  was  the  more 
need  that  this  point  should  be  clearly  and  vari- 
ously presented,  because  it  is  the  one  on  which 
an  enlightened  conscience  immediately  fastens. 
The  desert  of  death  begets  the  fear  of  death. 

*  Gal.  iv.  4,  5.  f  Rom.  v.  19. 

X  1  Cor.  i.  30.  ^  Phil.  iii.  9. 


JUSTIFICATION.  157 

And  this  fear  of  death  cannot  be  allayed,  until 
it  is  seen  how,  in  consistency  with  divine  jus- 
tice, w^e  are  freed  from  the  righteous  penalty  of 
the  law.  HoAv  this  is  done  the  Scriptures  teach 
in  the  most  explicit  manner.  Christ  hath  re- 
deemed us  from  the  curse  of  the  law,  being 
made  a  curse  for  us.*  Paul  had  just  said.  As 
many  as  are  of  the  law  are  under  the  curse. 
But  all  men  are  naturally  under  the  law,  and 
therefore  all  are  under  the  curse.  How  are  we 
redeemed  from  it?  By  Christ's  being  made  a 
curse  for  us.  Such  is  the  simple  and  sufficient 
answer  to  this  most  important  of  all  questions. 

The  doctrine  so  plainly  taught  in  Gal.  iii.  13, 
that  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse 
of  the  law  by  bearing  it  in  our  stead,  is  no  less 
clearly  presented  in  2  Cor.  v.  21.  He  hath 
made  him  to  be  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin, 
that  we  might  be  made  the  righteousness  of 
God  in  him.  This  is  represented  as  the  only 
ground  on  which  men  are  authorized  to  preach 
the  gospel.  We  are  ambassadors  for  Christ, 
says  the  apostle,  as  though  God  did  beseech 
you  by  us:  we  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead,  be 
ye  reconciled  to  God.  Then  follows  a  state- 
ment of  the  ground  upon  which  this  offer  of 
reconciliation  is  presented.  God  has  made  ef- 
fectual provision  for  the  pardon  of  sin,  by  mak- 
ing Christ,  though  holy,  harmless,  and  separate 


*  Gal.  iii.  13. 
14 


158  JUSTIFICATION. 

from  sinners,  sm  for  us,  that  we  might  be  made 
righteous  in  him.  The  iniquities  of  us  all  were 
laid  on  him ;  he  was  treated  as  a  sinner  in  our 
place,  in  order  that  we  might  be  treated  as 
righteous  in  him. 

The  same  great  truth  is  taught  in  all  those 
passages  in  which  Christ  is  said  to  bear  our  sins. 
The  expression  to  bear  sin,  is  one  which  is 
clearly  explained  by  its  frequent  occurrence  in 
the  sacred  Scriptures.  It  means  to  bear  the 
punishment  due  to  sin.  In  Lev.  xx.  17,  it  is 
said.  He  that  marries  his  sister,  shall  bear  his 
iniquity.  Again,  Whosoever  curseth  his  God, 
shall  bear  his  sin.  Of  him  that  failed  to  keep 
the  passover,  it  was  said,  that  man  shall  bear  his 
sin.*  If  a  man  sin  he  shall  bear  his  iniquity. 
It  is  used  in  the  same  sense  when  one  man  is 
spoken  of  as  bearing  the  sin  of  another.  Your 
children  shall  wander  in  the  wilderness  forty 
years,  and  bear  your  whoredoms.f  Our  fathers 
have  sinned  and  are  not,  and  we  have  borne 
their  iniquities. J  And  when,  in  Ezekiel  xviii. 
20,  it  is  said  that  the  son  shall  not  bear  the 
iniquity  of  the  father,  it  is  obviously  meant 
that  the  son  shall  not  be  punished  for  the  sins 
of  the  father.  The  meaning  of  this  expression 
being  thus  definite,  of  course  there  can  be  no 
doubt  as  to  the  manner  in  which  it  is  to  be  under- 
stood when  used  in  reference  to  the  Redeemer. 

*  Num.  ix.  13.  t  Num.  xiv.  33.  J  Lam.  v.  7. 


JUSTIFICATION.  159 

The  prophet  says,  The  Lord  hath  laid  on  him 
the  iniquity  of  us  all.  My  righteous  servant 
shall  justify  many,  for  he  shall  bear  their  ini- 
quities. He  was  numbered  with  transgressors, 
and  bore  the  sins  of  many."^  Language  more 
explicit  could  not  be  used.  This  whole  chapter 
is  designed  to  teach  one  great  truth,  that  our 
sins  were  to  be  laid  on  the  Messiah,  that  we 
might  be  freed  from  the  punishment  which  they 
deserved.  It  is  therefore  said.  He  was  wounded 
for  our  transgressions;  he  was  bruised  for  our 
iniquities;  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was 
upon  him;  for  the  transgression  of  my  people 
was  he  smitten.  In  the  New  Testament,  the 
same  doctrine  is  taught  in  the  same  terms. 
Who  his  own  self  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body 
on  the  tree.f  Christ  was  offered  to  bear  the 
sins  of  many. J  Ye  know  that  he  was  mani- 
fested to  take  away  (to  bear)  our  sins.§  Accord- 
ing to  all  these  representations,  Christ  saves  us 
from  the  punishment  due  to  our  sins,  by  bearing 
the  curse  of  the  law  in  our  stead. 

Intimately  associated  with  the  passages  just 
referred  to,  are  those  which  describe  the  Ee- 
deemer  as  a  sacrifice,  or  propitiation.  The 
essential  idea  of  a  sin-offering  is  propitiation  by 
means  of  vicarious  punishment.  That  this  is 
the  scriptural  idea  of  a  sacrifice,  is  plain  from 

*  Isa.  liii.  6, 11, 12.  f  1  Pet.  ii.  24. 

%  Heb.  ix.  28.  §  1  John  iii.  5. 


160  JUSTIFICATION. 

the  laws  of  their  institution,  from  the  effects 
ascribed  to  them,  and  from  the  illustrative 
declarations  of  the  sacred  writers.  The  law 
prescribed  that  the  offender  should  bring  the 
victim  to  the  altar,  lay  his  hands  upon  'its 
head,  make  confession  of  his  crime;  and  that 
the  animal  should  then  be  slain,  and  its  blood 
sprinkled  upon  the  altar.  Thus,  it  is  said,  He 
shall  put  his  hand  upon  the  head  of  the 
burnt-offering,  and  it  shall  be  accepted  for  him 
to  make  atonement  for  him.*  And  he  brought 
the  bullock  for  a  sin-offering,  and  Aaron  and 
his  sons  laid  their  hands  upon  the  head  of 
the  bullock  of  the  sin-offering.-j-  The  import 
of  this  imposition  of  hands,  is  clearly  taught 
in  the  following  passage:  And  Aaron  shall 
lay  his  hands  upon  the  head  of  the  live  goat, 
and  confess  over  him  all  the  iniquities  of  the 
children  of  Israel,  and  all  their  transgressions 
in  all  their  sins,  putting  them  upon  the  head 
of  the  goat,  and  the  goat  shall  bear  upon  him 
all  their  iniquities  unto  a  land  not  inhabited. J 
The  imposition  of  hands,  therefore,  was  de- 
signed to  express,  symbolically,  the  ideas  of 
substitution  and  transfer  of  the  liability  to 
punishment.  In  the  case  just  referred  to,  in 
order  to  convey  more  clearly  the  idea  of  the 
removal  of  the  liability  to  punishment,  the 
goat   on   whose   head   the    sins    of    the   people 

*  Lev.  i.  4.  t  Lev.  viii.  14.  J  Lev.  xvi.  21,  22. 


JUSTIFICATION.  161 

were  imposed,  was  sent  into  the  wilderness, 
but  another  goat  was  slain  and  consumed  in  its 
stead. 

The  nature  of  these  offerings  is  further  ob- 
vious from  the  effects  attributed  to  them.  They 
were  commanded  in  order  to  make  atonement, 
to  propitiate,  to  make  reconciliation,  to  secure 
the  forgiveness  of  sins.  And  this  effect  they 
actually  secured.  In  the  case  of  every  Jewish 
offender,  some  penalty  connected  with  the  tlieo- 
cratical  constitution  under  which  he  lived,  was 
removed  by  the  presentation  and  acceptance  of 
the  appointed  sacrifice.  This  was  all  the 
effect,  in  the  way  of  securing  pardon,  that  the 
blood  of  bulls  and  goats  could  produce.  Their 
efficacy  was  confined  to  the  purifying  of  the 
flesh,  and  to  securing,  for  those  who  offered 
them,  the  advantages  of  the  external  theocracy. 
Besides,  however,  this  efficacy,  which,  by  di- 
vine appointment,  belonged  to  them  considered 
in  themselves,  they  were  intended  to  prefigure 
and  predict  the  true  atoning  sacrifice  which 
was  to  be  offered  when  the  fulness  of  time 
should  come.  Nothing,  however,  can  more 
clearly  illustrate  the  scriptural  doctrine  of 
sacrifices,  than  the  expressions  employed  by 
the  sacred  writers  to  convey  the  same  idea  as 
that  intended  by  the  term  sin-offering.  Thus 
all  that  Isaiah  taught  by  saying  of  the  Mes- 
siah  that   the   chastisement   of  our  peace   was 

upon  him;   that  by  his  stripes  we    are  healed; 

14* 


162  JUSTIFICATION. 

that  lie  was  smitten  for  the  transgression  of 
the  people;  that  on  him  was  laid  the  iniquity 
of  us  all,  and  that  he  bore  the  sins  of  many, 
he  taught  by  saying,  He  made  his  soul  an 
offering  for  sin.  And  in  the  Epistle  to  the 
Hebrews  it  is  said,  He  was  offered  (as  a  sacri- 
fice) to  bear  the  sins  of  many.  The  same 
idea,  therefore,  is  expressed  by  saying,  either 
he  bore  our  sins,  or  he  was  made  an  offering 
for  sin.  But  to  bear  the  sins  of  any  one, 
means  to  bear  the  punishment  of  those  sins; 
and,  therefore,  to  be  a  sin-offering,  conveys  the 
same  meaning. 

Such  being  the  idea  of  a  sacrifice  which 
pervades  the  whole  Jewish  Scriptures,  it  is 
obvious  that  the  sacred  writers  could  not  teach 
more  distinctly  and  intelligibly  the  manner  in 
which  Christ  secures  the  pardon  of  sin,  than 
by  saying  he  w\as  made  an  offering  for  sin. 
With  this  mode  of  j)ardon  all  the  early  readers 
of  the  Scriptures  were  familiar.  They  had  been 
accustomed  to  it  from  their  earliest  years.  No 
one  of  them  could  recall  the  time  when  the 
altar,  the  victim  and  the  blood  were  unknown 
to  him.  His  first  lessons  in  religion  contained 
the  ideas  of  confession  of  sin,  substitution  and 
vicarious  sufferings  and  death.  When,  there- 
fore, the  inspired  penmen  told  men  imbued 
with  these  ideas  that  Christ  was  a  propitiation 
for  sin,  that  he  was  offered  as  a  sacrifice  to 
make    reconciliation,    they   told    them,   in    the 


JUSTIFICATION.  163 

plainest  of  all  terms,  that  he  secures  the  par- 
don of  our  sins  by  suffering  in  our  stead.  Jews 
could  understand  such  language  in  no  other 
way,  and  therefore,  we  may  be  sure  it  was  in- 
tended to  convey  no  other  meaning.  And  in 
point  of  fact,  it  has  been  so  understood  by  the 
Christian  Church  from  its  first  organization  to 
the  present  day. 

If  it  were  merely  in  the  way  of  casual 
allusion  that  Christ  was  declared  to  be  a  sa- 
crifice, we  should  not  be  authorized  to  infer 
from  it  the  method  of  redemption.  But  this 
is  far  from  being  the  case.  This  doctrine  is 
presented  in  the  most  didactic  form.  It  i? 
exhibited  in  every  possible  mode.  It  is  as- 
sorted,  illustrated,  vindicated.  It  is  made  the 
central  point  of  all  divine  institutions  and 
instructions.  It  is  urged  as  the  foundation  of 
hope,  as  the  source  of  consolation,  the  motive 
to  obedience.  It  is  in  fact  the  gospel.  It 
would  be  vain  to  attempt  a  reference  to  all  the 
passages  in  wdiich  this  great  doctrine  is  taught. 
We  are  told  that  God  set  forth  Jesus  Christ  as 
a  propitiation  for  our  sins  through  faith  in  his 
blood.*  Again  he  is  declared  to  be  a  propitia- 
tion for  our  sins,  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  for 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world.f  He  is  called  the 
Lamb  of  God  that  taketh  away  (beareth)  the 
sin   of   the   w^orld.J      Ye   were   not    redeemed, 

*  Rom.  iii.  25.  f  1  John  "•  2.  t  John  i.  29. 


164  JUSTIFICATION. 

says  the  apostle  Peter,  with  corruptible  things 
as  silver  and  gold,  from  your  vain  conversation 
received  by  tradition  from  your  fathers,  but 
with  the  precious  blood  of  Christ,  as  of  a  lamb 
without  blemish  and  without  spot*  In  the 
Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  this  doctrine  is  more 
fully  exhibited  than  in  any  other  portion  of 
Scripture.  Christ  is  not  only  repeatedly  called 
a  sacrifice,  but  an  elaborate  comparison  is  made 
between  the  offering  which  he  presented  and 
those  which  were  offered  under  the  old  dis- 
pensation. If  the  blood  of  bulls  and  of  goats, 
says  the  apostle,  and  the  ashes  of  a  heifer 
sprinkling  the  unclean,  sanctifieth  to  the  puri- 
fying of  the  flesh,  how  much  more  shall  the 
blood  of  Christ,  who  through  the  Eternal  Spirit 
(possessing  an  Eternal  Spirit)  offered  himself 
without  spot  unto  God,  purge  your  conscience 
from  dead  works  to  serve  the  living  God.*}* 
The  ancient  sacrifices  in  themselves  could  only 
remove  ceremonial  uncleanness.  They  could 
not  purge  the  conscience  or  reconcile  the  soul 
to  God.  They  were  mere  shadows  of  the  true 
sacrifice  for  sins.  Hence  they  were  offered 
daily.  Christ's  sacrifice  being  really  efficacious, 
was  offered  but  once.  It  was  because  the  an- 
cient sacrifices  were  ineffectual,  that  Christ  said, 
when  he  came  into  the  world.  Sacrifice  and 
offering  thou  wouldst  not,  but  a  body  hast  thou 

.  *  1  Pet.  i.  18,  10.  t  Heb.  ix.  13,  14. 


JUSTIFICATION.  165 

prepared  me.  In  burnt-offerings  and  sacrifices 
for  sin  thou  hast  no  pleasure.  Then  said  I,  Lo, 
I  come  to  do  thy  will,  0  God.  By  the  which 
will,  adds  the  apostle,  that  is,  by  the  accom- 
plishing the  purpose  of  God,  we  are  sanctified 
(or  atoned  for)  through  the  offering  of  the  body 
of  Jesus  Christ  once  for  all;  and  by  that  one 
offering  he  hath  perfected  for  ever  them  that 
are  sanctified;  and  of  all  this,  he  adds,  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  witness.*  The  Scriptures,  therefore, 
clearly  teach  that  Jesus  Christ  delivers  us  from 
the  punishment  of  our  sins,  by  offering  himself 
as  a  sacrifice  in  our  behalf;  that  as  under  the 
old  dispensation,  the  penalties  attached  to  the 
violations  of  the  theocratical  covenant,  were 
removed  by  the  substitution  and  sacrifice  of 
bulls  and  of  goats;  so  under  the  spiritual  theo- 
cracy, in  the  living  temple  of  the  living  God, 
the  punishment  of  sin  is  removed  by  the  sub- 
stitution and  death  of  the  Son  of  God.  As  no 
ancient  Israelite,  when  by  transgression  he  had 
forfeited  his  liberty  of  access  to  the  earthly 
sanctuary,  was  ignorant  of  the  mode  of  atone- 
ment and  reconciliation;  so  now,  no  conscience- 
stricken  sinner,  who  knows  that  he  is  unworthy 
to  draw  near  to  God,  need  be  ignorant  of  that 
new  and  living  way  which  Christ  hath  conse- 
crated for  us,  through  his  flesh,  so  that  we  have 
boldness  to  enter  into  the  holiest  by  the  blood 
of  Jesus. 

*  Heb.  X.  5,  15.  ' 


166  JUSTIFICATION. 

In  all  the  forms  of  expression  hitherto  men- 
tioned, viz. :  Christ  was  made  a  curse  for  us ; 
he  was  made  sin  for  us;  he  bore  our  sins,  he 
was  made  a  sin-offering,  there  is  the  idea  of 
substitution.  Christ  took  our  place,  he  suffered 
in  our  stead,  he  acted  as  our  representative. 
But  as  the  act  of  a  substitute  is  in  effect  the 
act  of  the  principal,  all  that  Christ  did  and 
suffered  in  that  character,  every  believer  is 
regarded  as  having  done  and  suffered.  The 
attentive  and  pious  reader  of  the  Bible  will 
recognise  this  idea  in  some  of  the  most  common 
forms  of  scriptural  expression.  Believers  are 
those  who  are  in  Christ.  This  is  their  great 
distinction  and  most  familiar  designation.  They 
are  so  united  to  him,  that  what  he  did  in  their 
behalf  they  are  declared  to  have  done.  When 
he  died,  they  died ;  when  he  rose,  they  rose ; 
as  he  lives,  they  shall  live  also.  The  passages 
in  which  believers  are  said  to  have  died  in 
Christ  are  very  numerous.  If  one  died  for  all, 
says  the  apostle,  then  all  died  (not,  were  dead.)* 
He  that  died  (with  Christ)  is  justified  from  sin, 
i.  e.  freed  from  its  condemnation  and  power; 
and  if  we  died  with  Christ,  we  believe  that  we 
shall  live  with  him.f  As  a  woman  is  freed  by 
death  from  her  husband,  so  believers  are  freed 
from  the  law  by  the  body  (the  death)  of  Christ, 
because    his    death    is    in    effect   their   death.J 

*2Cor.  V.  14.  t  Rom.  vi,  7,  8.  tRoin.vii.4. 


JUSTIFICATION.  167 

And  in  the  following  verse  he  says,  having  died, 
(in  Christ,)  we  are  freed  from  the  law.  Every 
believer,  therefore,  may  say  with  Paul,  I  was 
crucified  with  Christ.*  In  like  manner  the 
resurrection  of  Christ  secures  both  the  spiritual 
life  and  future  resurrection  of  all  his  people. 
If  we  have  been  united  to  him  in  his  death,  we 
shall  be  in  his  resurrection.  If  we  died  with 
him,  we  shall  live  with  him.f  God,  says  the 
apostle,  hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ ; 
and  hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  to 
sit  together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus.J 
That  is,  God  hath  quickened,  raised  and  exalted 
us  together§  with  Christ.  It  is  on  this  ground 
also  that  Paul  says  that  Christ  rose  as  the  first 
fruits  of  the  dead ;  not  merely  the  first  in  order, 
but  the  earnest  and  security  of  the  resurrection 
of  his  people.  For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  so  in 
Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.  ||  As  our  union 
with  Adam  secures  our  death,  union  with  Christ 
secures  our  resurrection.  Adam  is  a  type  of 
him  that  was  to  come,  that  is,  Christ,  inasmuch 
as  the  relation  in  which  Adam  stood  to  the 
whole  race,  is  analogous  to  that  in  which  Christ 
stands  to  his  own  people.      As  Adam  was  our 


*  Gal.  ii.  20.  f  Rom.  vi.  5,  8.  J  Eph.  ii.  5,  6. 

§  There  is  no  separate  word  in  the  original  to  answer  to  the 
word  together,  which  is  not  to  be  understood  of  the  union  of  be- 
lievers with  one  another  in  the  participation  of  these  blessings. 
It  is  their  union  with  Christ  that  the  passage  asserts. 

II  1  Cor.  XV.  20,  22. 


168  JUSTIFICATION. 

natural  head,  the  poison  of  sin  flows  in  all  our 
veins.  As  Christ  is  our  spiritual  head,  eternal 
life  which  is  in  him,  descends  to  all  his  mem- 
bers. It  is  not  they  that  live,  but  Christ  that 
liveth  in  them.*  This  doctrine  of  the  represen- 
tative and  vital  union  of  Christ  and  believers, 
pervades  the  New  Testament.  It  is  the  source 
of  the  humility,  the  joy,  the  confidence  which 
the  sacred  writers  so  often  express.  In  them- 
selves they  were  nothing  and  deserved  nothing, 
but  in  him  they  possessed  all  things.  Hence 
they  counted  all  things  but  loss  that  they  might 
be  found  in  him.  Hence  they  determined  to 
know  nothing,  to  j^i'each  nothing,  to  glory  in 
nothing  but  in  Christ  and  him  crucified. 

The  great  doctrine  of  the  vicarious  sufferings 
and  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  is  further  taught  in 
those  numerous  passages  which  refer  our  salva- 
tion to  his  blood,  his  death,  or  his  cross.  Viewed 
in  connection  with  the  passages  already  men- 
tioned, those  now  referred  to  not  only  teach  the 
fact  that  the  death  of  Christ  secures  the  pardon 
of  sin,  but  how  it  does  it.  To  this  class  belong 
such  declarations  as  the  following :  The  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ  cleanses  us  from  all  sin.*}'  -  We 
have  redemption  through  his  blood.J  Ho  has 
made  peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross. § 
Being  justified   by  his   blood. ||      Ye   are  made 

*Gal.ii.20.  f  IJohn  i.  7.  JEph.i.7. 

iCol.i.20.  II  Rom.  V.  9. 


JUSTIFICATION.  169 

nigh  by  the  blood  of  Christ.*  Ye  are  come  to 
the  blood  of  sprinkling.f  Elect  unto  obedience 
and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ.J 
Unto  him  who  loved  us  and  washed  from  our 
sins  in  his  own  blood. §  He  hath  redeemed  us 
unto  God  by  his  blood. ||  This  cup,  said  the 
Son  of  God  himself,  is  the  New  Testament  in 
my  blood,  which  is  shed  for  many  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins.^  The  sacrificial  character  of  the 
death  of  Christ  is  taught  in  all  these  passages. 
Blood  was  the  means  of  atonement,  and  with- 
out the  shedding  of  blood,  there  was  no  remis- 
sion ;  and,  therefore,  when  our  salvation  is  so 
often  ascribed  to  the  blood  of  the  Saviour,  it  is 
declared  that  he  died  as  a  propitiation  for  our 
sins. 

The  same  remark  may  be  made  in  reference 
to  those  passages  wdiich  ascribe  our  redemption 
to  the  death,  the  cross,  the  flesh  of  Christ;  for 
these  terms  are  interchanged  as  being  of  the 
same  import.  We  are  reconciled  unto  God  by 
the  death  of  his  Son.*"^  We  are  reconciled  by 
his  cross.'j^  We  are  reconciled  by  the  body  of 
his  flesh  through  death.JJ  We  are  delivered 
from   the   law   by   the    body  of    Christ  ;§§    he 


*Eph.ii.  13.  tHeb.xii.24. 

1 1  Pet.  i.  2.  §  Rev.  i.  5. 

11  Rev.  V.  9.  If  Matt.  xxvi.  28 

**  Rom.  V.  10.  tt  Eph.  ii.  16. 

Xt  Col.  i.  22.  U  ^om.  vii.  4. 
15 


170  JUSTIFICATION. 

abolished  the  law  in  his  flesh  ;*  he  took  away 
the  handwriting,  which  was  against  us,  nailing 
it  to  his  cross.f  The  more  general  expressions 
respecting  Christ's  dying  for  us,  receive  a  defi- 
nite meanins;  from  their  connection  with  the 
more  specific  passages  above  mentioned.  Every 
one,  therefore,  knows  what  is  meant,  when  it  is 
said  that  Christ  died  for  the  ungodly ; J  that  he 
gave  himself  a  ransom  for  many  ;§  that  he  died 
the  just  for  the  unjust  that  he  might  bring  us 
unto  God.  1 1  Not  less  plain  is  the  meaning  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  when  it  is  said,  God  spared  not 
his  own  Son,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all  ;•[[ 
that  he  was  delivered  for  our  ofiences;**  that 
he  gave  himself  for  our  sins.ff 

Seeing  then  that  we  owe  every  thing  to  the 
expiatory  sufierings  of  the  blessed  Saviour,  we 
cease  to  wonder  that  the  cross  is  rendered  so 
prominent  in  the  exhibition  of  the  plan  of  sal- 
vation. We  are  not  surprised  at  Paul's  anxiety, 
lest  the  cross  of  Christ  should  be  made  of  none 
effect ;  or  that  he  should  call  the  preaching  of 
the  gospel  the  preaching  of  the  cross ;  or  that 
he  should  preach  Christ  crucified,  both  to  Jews 
and  Greeks,  as  the  wisdom  of  God  and  the 
power  of  God,  or  that  he  should  determine  to 
glory  in  nothing  save  in  the  cross  of  Christ. 

^Eph.ii.  15.  tCol.ii.14. 

t  Rom.  V.  6.  I  Matt.  xx.  28. 

II  1  Pet.  iii.  18.  URom.  viii.  32. 

**  Eom.  iv.  25.  tt  Gal.  i.  4. 


JUSTIFICATION.  171 

As  there  is  no  truth  more  necessary  to  be 
known,  so  there  is  none  more  variously  or 
plainly  taught  than  the  method  of  escaping  the 
wrath  of  God  due  to  us  for  sin.  Besides  all  the 
clear  exhibitions  of  Christ  as  bearing  our  sins, 
as  dying  in  our  stead,  as  making  his  soul  an 
offering  for  sin,  as  redeeming  us  by  his  blood, 
the  Scriptures  set  him  forth  in  the  character  of 
a  priest,  in  order  that  we  might  more  fully  un- 
derstand how  it  is  that  he  effects  our  salvation. 
It  was  predicted  long  before  his  advent  that  the 
Messiah  was  to  be  a  priest.  Thou  art  a  priest 
for  ever,  after  the  order  of  Melchizedek,  was  the 
declaration  of  the  Holy  Spirit  by  the  mouth  of 
David.*  Zechariah  predicted  that  he  should 
sit  as  a  priest  upon  his  throne.f  The  apostle 
defines  a  priest  to  be  a  man  ordained  for  men 
in  things  pertaining  unto  God,  that  he  may 
offer  both  gifts  and  sacrifices  for  sins.J  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  only  real  priest  in  the  universe. 
All  others  were  either  pretenders,  or  the  shadow 
of  the  great  High  Priest  of  our  profession.  For 
this  ofiice  he  had  every  necessary  qualification. 
He  w\as  a  man.  For  inasmuch  as  the  children  were 
partakers  of  flesh  and  blood,  he  also  took  part 
of  the  same  in  order  that  he  might  be  a  merciful 
and  faithful  high  priest ;  one  w^ho  can  be  touched 
with  a  feeling  of  our  infirmities,  seeing  he  was 
tempted  in  all  points  like  as  we  are,  yet  without 

*  Ps.  ex.  4.  t  Zech.  vi.  13.  J  Heb.  v.  1. 


172  JUSTIFICATION. 

sin.  He  was  sinless.  For  such  a  high  priest 
became  us  who  was  holy,  harmless  and  separate 
from  sinners.  He  was  the  Son  of  God.  The 
law  made  men,  having  infirmity,  priests.  But 
God  declared  his  Son  to  be  a  priest,  who  is  con- 
secrated for  evermore.*  The  sense  in  which 
Christ  is  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  is  ex- 
plained in  the  first  chapter  of  this  epistle.  It 
is  there  said,  that  he  is  the  express  image  of 
God;  that  he  upholds  all  things  by  the  word 
of  his  power;  that  all  the  angels  are  commanded 
to  worship  him ;  that  his  throne  is  an  everlast- 
ing throne;  that  in  the  beginning  he  laid  the 
foundations  of  the  earth ;  that  he  is  from  ever- 
lasting, and  that  his  years  fail  not.  It  is  from 
the  dignity  of  his  person,  as  possessing  this 
divine  nature,  that  the  apostle  deduces  the 
efficacy  of  his  sacrifice,f  the  perpetuity  of  his 
priesthood,!  and  his  ability  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most all  who  come  unto  God  through  him.§ 
He  was  duly  constituted  a  priest.  He  glorified 
not  himself  to  be  made  a  high  priest,  but  he 
that  said  to  him.  Thou  art  my  Son,  said  also. 
Thou  art  a  priest  for  ever.  He  is  the  only  real 
priest,  and  therefore  his  advent  superseded  all 
others,  and  put  an  immediate  end  to  all  their 
lawful  ministrations,  by  abolisliing  the  typical 
dispensation  with  which  they  were   connected. 

*  Heb.  vii.  28.  t  Heb.  ix.  14. 

t  Heb.  vii.  16  §  Heb.  vii.  25. 


JUSTIFICATION.  173 

For  the  priesthood  being  changed,  there  was  of 
necessity  a  change  of  the  law.  There  was  a 
disannulling  of  the  former  commandment  for 
the  weakness  and  unprofitableness  thereof,  and 
there  was  the  introduction  of  a  better  hope."^ 
He  has  an  appropriate  offering  to  present.  As 
every  high  priest  is  appointed  to  offer  sacrifices, 
it  was  necessary  that  this  man  should  have 
somewhat  to  offer.  This  sacrifice  was  not  the 
blood  of  goats  or  of  calves,  but  his  own  blood ; 
it  was  himself  he  offered  unto  God,  to  purge 
our  conscience  from  dead  works.f  He  has  put 
away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself,  which  was 
accomplished  when  he  was  once  offered  to  bear 
the  sins  of  many.J  He  has  passed  into  the 
heavens.  As  the  high  priest  was  required  to 
enter  into  the  most  holy  place  with  the  blood 
of  atonement,  so  Christ  has  entered  not  into 
the  holy  place  made  with  hands,  but  into  hea- 
ven itself,  now  to  appear  in  the  presence  of  God 
for  us,§  and  where  he  ever  lives  to  make  inter- 
cession for  us.  1 1 

Seeing  then  we  have  a  great  High  Priest, 
that  is  passed  into  the  heavens,  Jesus  the  Son 
of  God,  (let  the  reader  remember  what  that 
means,)  who  is  set  down  on  the  right  hand  of 
the  Majesty  on  high,  having  by  himself  purged 
our  sins  and  made   reconciliation   for   the  sins 

*  Heb.  vii.  12, 19.         f  Heb.  ix.  12, 14.        J  Heb.  ix.  26,  28. 

I  Heb.  ix.  24.  ||  Heb.  vii.  25. 

15* 


174  JUSTIFICATION. 

of  the  peoj^le,  every  humble  believer  who  com- 
mits his  soul  into  the  hands  of  this  High  Priest, 
may  come  with  boldness  to  the  throne  of  grace, 
assured  that  he  shall  find  mercy  and  grace  to 
he\])  in  time  of  need. 


Section  III.  The  Righteousness  of  Christ  the  true 
Ground  of  our  Justification — The  practical  Effects  of 
this  Doctrine, 

The  Bible,  as  we  have  seen,  teaches,  first, 
that  we  are  under  a  law  which  demands  perfect 
obedience,  and  which  threatens  death  in  case 
of  transgression;  secondly,  that  all  men  have 
failed  in  rendering  that  obedience,  and  there- 
fore are  subject  to  the  threatened  penalty; 
thirdly,  that  Christ  has  redeemed  us  from  the 
law  by  being  made  under  it  and  in  our  place, 
satisfying  its  demands.  It  only  remains  to  be 
shown  that  this  perfect  righteousness  of  Christ 
is  presented  as  the  ground  of  our  justification 
before  God. 

In  scriptural  language  condemnation  is  a 
sentence  of  death  pronounced  upon  sin;  justi- 
fication is  a  sentence  of  life  pronounced  u]oon 
righteousness.  As  this  righteousness  is  not  our 
own,  as  we  are  sinners,  ungodly,  without  works, 
it  must  be  the  righteousness  of  another,  even 
of  him  who  is  our  righteousness.  Hence  we 
find  so  constantly  the  distinction  between  our 
own   righteousness   and  that  which   God  gives. 


JUSTIFICATION.  175 

The  Jews,  the  apostle  says,  bemg  ignorant  of 
God's  righteousness,  and  going  about  to  establish 
their  own  righteousness,  would  not  submit  them- 
selves unto  the  righteousness  of  God/^"  This 
was  the  rock  on  which  they  split.  They  knew 
that  justification  required  a  righteousness;  they 
insisted  on  urging  their  own,  imperfect  as  it  was, 
and  would  not  accept  of  that  which  God  had 
provided  in  the  merits  of  his  Son,  who  is  the 
end  of  the  law  for  righteousness  to  every  one 
that  believes.  The  same  idea  is  presented  in 
Rom.  ix.  30,  32,  where  Paul  sums  up  the  case 
of  the  rejection  of  the  Jews  and  the  acceptance 
of  believers.  The  Gentiles  have  attained  risrht- 
eousness,  even  the  righteousness  which  is  of 
faith.  But  Israel  hath  not  attained  it.  Where- 
fore? Because  they  sought  it  not  by  faith,  but 
as  it  were  by  the  works  of  the  law.  The  Jews 
would  not  receive  and  confide  in  the  righteous- 
ness which  God  had  provided,  but  endeavoured, 
by  works,  to  prepare  a  righteousness  of  their 
own.  This  was  the  cause  of  their  ruin.  '  In 
direct  contrast  to  the  course  pursued  by  the 
majority  of  his  kinsmen,  we  find  Paul  re- 
nouncing all  dependence  upon  his  own  right- 
eousness, and  thankfully  receiving  that  which 
God  had  provided.  Though  he  had  every  ad- 
vantage and  every  temptation  to  trust  in  him- 
self, that  any  man  could  have, — for  he  was  one 

*  Rom.  X.  3. 


176  JUSTIFICATION. 

of  the  favoured  people  of  God,  circumcised  on 
the  eighth  day,  and  touching  the  righteousness 
which  is  in  the  law,  Wameless, — ^yet  all  these 
things  he  counted  but  loss,  that  he  might  win 
Christ,  and  be  found  in  him,  not  having  his  own 
righteousness,  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that 
which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  right- 
eousness which  is  of  God  by  faith.*  Here  the 
two  righteousnesses  are  brought  distinctly  into 
view.  The  one  was  his  own,  consisting  in  obe- 
dience to  the  law;  this  Paul  rejects  as  inade- 
quate, and  unworthy  of  acceptance.  The  other 
is  of  God  and  received  by  faith;  this  Paul 
accepts  and  glories  in  as  all  sufficient  and  as 
alone  sufficient.  This  is  the  righteousness 
which  the  apostle  says  God  imputes  to  those 
without  works.  Hence  it  is  called  a  gift,  a  free 
gift,  a  gift  by  grace,  and  believers  are  described 
as  those  who  receive  this  gift  of  righteousness.*)* 
Hence  we  are  never  said  to  be  justified  by  any 
thing  done  by  us  or  wrought  in  us,  but  by  what 
Christ  has  done  for  us.  We  are  justified 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  him. J  We 
are  justified  by  his  blood. §  We  are  justified  by 
his  obedience.  1 1  We  are  justified  by  him  from 
all  things.^  He  is  our  righteousness.**  We 
are   made   the  righteousness  of  God  in  him.ff 

*  Phil.  iii.  9.  t  Rom.  V.  17. 

X  Rom.  iii.  24.  ^  Rom.  v.  9. 

II  Rom.  V.  19.  ^  Acts  xiii.  39. 

**  1  Cor.  i.  30.  ft  2  Cor.  v.  21. 


JUSTIFICATION.  177 

We  are  justified  in  his  name.***  There  is  no 
condemnation  to  those  who  are  in  him.-j-  Justi- 
fication is,  therefore,  by  faith  in  Christ,  because 
faith  is  receiving  and  trusting  to  him  as  our 
Saviour,  as  having  done  all  that  is  required  to 
secure  our  acceptance  before  God. 

It  is  thus  then  the  Scriptures  answer  the 
question.  How  can  a  man  be  just  with  God? 
When  the  soul  is  burdened  with  a  sense  of  sin, 
when  it  sees  how  reasonable  and  holy  is  that 
law  which  demands  perfect  obedience  and  which 
threatens  death  as  the  penalty  of  transgression; 
when  it  feels  the  absolute  impossibility  of  ever 
satisfying  these  just  demands  by  its  own  obe- 
dience and  sufferings,  it  is  then  that  the  revela- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ  as  our  righteousness,  is  felt 
to  be  the  wisdom  and  power  of  God  unto  salva- 
tion. Destitute  of  all  righteousness  in  ourselves, 
we  have  our  righteousness  -in  him.  What  we 
could  not  do  he  has  done  for  us.  The  righteous- 
ness, therefore,  on  the  ground  of  which  the 
sentence  of  justification  is  passed  upon  the  be- 
lieving sinner,  is  not  his  own,  but  that  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

It  is  one  of  the  strongest  evidences  of  the 
divine  origin  of  the  Scriptures  that  tliey  are 
suited  to  the  nature  and  circumstances  of  man. 
If  their  doctrines  w^ere  believed  and  their  pre- 
cepts  obeyed,  men    would    stand   in  their  true 

*  1  Cor.  vi.  11.  t  Rom.  viii.  1. 


178  JUSTIFICATION. 

relation  to  God,  and  the  different  classes  of  men 
to  each  other.  Parents  and  children,  husbands 
and  wives,  rulers  and  subjects,  would  be  found 
in  their  proper  sphere,  and  would  attain  the 
highest  possible  degree  of  excellence  and  happi- 
ness. Truth  is  in  order  to  holiness.  And  all 
truth  is  known  to  be  truth,  by  its  tendency  to 
promote  holiness.  As  this  test,  when  applied  to 
the  Scriptures  generally,  evinces  their  divine 
perfection,  so  when  applied  to  the  cardinal  doc- 
trine of  justification  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  it 
shows  that  doctrine  to  be  worthy  of  all  accepta- 
tion. On  this  ground  it  is  commended  by  the 
sacred  writers.  They  declare  it  to  be  in  the 
highest  degree  honourable  to  God  and  beneficial 
to  man.  They  assert  that  it  is  so  arranged  as 
to  display  the  wisdom,  justice,  holiness  and  love 
of  God,  while  it  secures  the  j)ardon,  peace  and 
holiness  of  men.  If  it  failed  in  either  of  these 
objects;  if  it  were  not  suited  to  the  divine 
character,  or  to  our  nature  and  necessities,  it 
could  not  answer  the  end  for  which  it  was 
designed. 

It  will  be  readily  admitted  that  the  glory 
of  God  in  the  exhibition  or  revelation  of  the 
divine  perfections  is  the  highest  conceivable  end 
of  creation  and  redemption;  and  consequently 
that  any  doctrine  which  is  suited  to  make  such 
exhibition  is,  on  that  account,  worthy  of  being 
universally  received  and  gloried  in.  Now  the 
inspired  writers  teach  us  that  it  is  peculiarly  in 


JUSTIFICATION.  179 

the  plan  of  redemption  that  the  divine  per- 
fections are  revealed;  that  it  was  designed  to 
show  unto  principalities  and  powers  the  mani- 
fold wisdom  of  God;  that  Christ  was  set  forth  as 
a  propitiatory  sacrifice  to  exhibit  his  righteous- 
ness or  justice;  and  especially  that  in  the  ages 
to  come  he  might  show  forth  the  exceeding 
riches  of  his  grace  in  his  kindness  toward  us  in 
Christ  Jesus.  It  is  the  love  of  God,  the  breadth 
and  length  and  depth  and  height  of  which  pass 
knowledge,  that  is  here  most  conspicuously  dis- 
played. Some  men  strangely  imagine  that  the 
death  of  Christ  procured  for  us  the  love  of  God; 
whereas  it  was  the  effect  and  not  the  cause  of 
that. love.  Christ  did  not  die  that  God  might 
love  us;  but  he  died  because  God  loved  us. 
God  commendeth  his  love  toward  us  in  that 
'while  we  were  sinners  Christ  died  for  us.  He  so 
loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him  might  not 
perish,  but  have  eternal  life.  In  this  was 
manifested  the  love  of  God  toward  us,  because 
God  sent  his  only  begotten  Son  into  the  world, 
that  we  might  live  through  him.  Herein  is 
love,  not  that  we  loved  God,  but  that  he  loved 
us,  and  sent  his  Son  to  be  the  propitiation  for 
our  sins. 

As  this  love  of  God  is  manifested  toward  the 
unworthy,  it  is  called  grace,  and  this  it  is  that 
the  Scriptures  dwell  upon  with  such  peculiar 
frequency   and    earnestness.     The    mystery   of 


180  JUSTIFICATION. 

redemption  is,  that  a  Being  of  infinite  holiness 
and  justice  should  manifest  such  wonderful  love 
to  sinners.  Hence  the  sacred  writers  so  earn- 
estly denounce  every  thing  that  obscures  this 
peculiar  feature  of  the  gospel;  every  thing 
which  represents  men  as  worthy,  as  meriting, 
or,  in  any  way  by  their  own  goodness,  securing 
the  exercise  of  this  love  of  God.  It  is  of  grace 
lest  any  man  should  boast.  We  are  justified  by 
grace;  we  are  saved  by  grace;  and  if  of 'grace 
it  is  no  more  of  works,  otherwise  grace  is  no 
more  grace.  The  apostle  teaches  us  not  only 
that  the  plan  of  salvation  had  its  origin  in  the 
unmerited  kindness  of  God,  and  that  our  accept- 
ance with  him  is  in  no  way  or  degree  founded  in 
our  own  worthiness,  but  moreover,  that  the 
actual  administration  of  the  economy  of  mercy 
is  so  conducted  as  to  magnify  this  attribute  of 
the  divine  character.  God  chooses  the  foolish, 
the  base,  the  weak,  yea  those  who  are  nothing, 
in  order  that  no  fiesh  should  glory  in  his  pre- 
sence. Christ  is  made  every  thing  to  us,  that 
those  who  glory,  should  glory  only  in  the  Lord.* 
It  cannot  fail  to  occur  to  every  reader  that 
unless  he  sincerely  rejoices  in  this  feature  of  the 
plan  of  redemption,  unless  he  is  glad  that  the 
wdiole  glory  of  his  salvation  belongs  to  God,  his 
heart  cannot  be  in  accordance  with  the  gospel. 
If  he  believes  that  the  ground  of  his  acceptance 

^  1  Cor.  i.  27,  31. 


JUSTIFICATION.  181 

is  in  himself,  or  even  wishes  that  it  were  so,  he 
is  not  prepared  to  join  in  those  grateful  songs  of 
acknowledgment  to  Him,  who  hath  saved  us 
and  called  us  with  a  holy  calling,  not  according 
to  our  works,  but  according  to  his  own  purpose 
and  grace,  which  it  is  the  delight  of  the  re- 
deemed to  offer  unto  him  that  loved  them  and 
gave  himself  for  them.  It  is  most  obvious  that 
the  sacred  writers  are  abundant  in  the  confes- 
sion of  their  unworthiness  in  the  sight  of  God. 
They  acknowledged  that  they  were  unworthy 
absolutely  and  unworthy  comparatively.  It  was 
of  grace  that  any  man  was  saved ;  and  it  was  of 
grace  that  they  were  saved  rather  than  others. 
It  is,  therefore,  all  of  grace,  that  God  may  be 
exalted  and  glorified  in  all  them  that  believe. 

The  doctrine  of  the  gratuitous  justification  of 
sinners  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  not  only  dis- 
plays the  infinite  love  of  God,  but  it  is  declared 
to  be  peculiarly  honourable  to  him,  or  peculiarly 
consistent  with  his  attributes,  because  it  is 
adapted  to  all  men.  Is  he  the  God  of  the  Jews 
only?  Is  he  not  also  of  the  Gentiles?  Yes,  of 
the  Gentiles  also;  seeing  it  is  one  God  who  shall 
justify  the  circumcision  by  faith,  and  the  uncir- 
cumcision  through  faith.  For  the  same  Lord 
over  all  is  rich  unto  all  that  call  upon  him. 
For  WHOSOEVER  shall  call  on  the  name  of  the 
Lord  shall  be  saved.  This  is  no  narrow,  nation- 
al, or  sectarian  doctrine.  It  is  as  broad  as  the 
earth.     Wherever  men,   the   creatures   of  God, 

16 


182  JUSTIFICATION. 

can  be  found,  there  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ 
Jesus  may  be  preached.  The  apostle  greatly 
exults  in  this  feature  of  the  plan  of  redemption, 
as  worthy  of  God;  and  as  making  the  gospel  the 
foundation  of  a  religion  for  all  nations  and  ages. 
In  revealing  a  salvation  sufficient  for  all  and 
suited  for  all,  it  discloses  God  in  his  true  cha- 
racter, as  the  God  and  Father  of  all. 

The  Scriptures,  however,  represent  this  great 
doctrine  as  not  less  suited  to  meet  the  necessities 
of  man,  than  it  is  to  promote  the  glory  of  God. 
If  it  exalts  God,  it  humbles  man.  If  it  renders 
it  manifest  that  he  is  a  Being  of  infinite  holi- 
ness, justice  and  love,  it  makes  us  feel  that  we 
are  destitute  of  all  merit,  nay,  are  most  ill- 
deserving;  that  we  are  without  strength;  that 
our  salvation  is  an  undeserved  favour.  As  no- 
thing is  more  true  than  the  guilt  and  helpless- 
ness of  men,  no  plan  of  redemption  which  does 
not  recognise  those  facts  could  ever  be  in  har- 
mony with  our  inward  exj)erience,  or  command 
the  full  acquiescence  of  the  penitent  soul.  The 
ascription  of  merit  which  we  are  conscious  we 
do  not  deserve,  produces  of  itself  severe  distress ; 
and  if  this  false  estimate  of  our  deserts  is  the 
ground  of  the  exhibition  of  special  kindness 
toward  us,  it  destroys  the  happiness  such  kind- 
ness would  otherwise  produce.  To  a  soul,  there- 
fore, sensible  of  its  pollution  and  guilt  in  the 
sight  of  God,  the  doctrine  that  it  is  saved  on 
account   of  its  own  goodness,  or  because  it  is 


JUSTIFICATI  )N.  183 

better  tlian  other  men,  is  discordant  and  destruc- 
tive of  its  peace.  Nothing  but  an  absolutely 
gratuitous  salvation  can  suit  a  soul  sensible  of 
its  ill-desert.  Nothing  else  suits  its  views  of 
truth,  or  its  sense  of  right.  The  opposite  doc- 
trine involves  a  falsehood  and  a  moral  impro- 
priety in  which  neither  the  reason  nor  con- 
science can  acquiesce.  The  scriptural  doctrine, 
which  assumes  what  we  know  to  be  true,  viz: 
our  guilt  and  helplessness,  places  us  in  our 
proper  relation  to  God;  that  relation  which 
accords  with  the  truth,  with  our  sense  of  right, 
with  our  inward  experience,  and  with  every 
proper  desire  of  our  hearts.  This  is  one  of  the 
reasons  why  the  Scriptures  represent  peace  as 
the  consequence  of  justification  by  faith.  There 
can  be  no  peace  while  the  soul  is  not  in  har- 
mony with  God,  and  there  can  be  no  such  har- 
mony until  it  willingly  occupies  its  true  position 
in  relation  to  God.  So  long  as  it  does  not  ac- 
knowledge its  true  character,  so  long  as  it  acts 
on  the  assumption  of  its  ability  to  merit  or  to 
earn  the  divine  favour,  it  is  in  a  false  position. 
Its  feelings  toward  God  are  wrong,  and  there  is 
no  manifestation  of  approbation  or  favour  on 
the  part  of  God  toward  the  soul.  But  when  we 
take  our  true  place  and  feel  our  ill-desert,  and 
look  upon  pardoning  mercy  as  a  mere  gratuity, 
we  find  access  to  God,  and  his  love  is  shed 
abroad  in  our  hearts,  producing  that  peace  which 
passes  all  understanding.     The  soul  ceases  from 


184  JUSTIFICATION. 

its  legal  strivings;  it  gives  over  the  vain  attempt 
to  make  itself  worthy,  or  to  work  out  a  right- 
eousness wherewith  to  appear  before  God.  It  is 
contented  to  be  accepted  as  unworthy,  and  to  re- 
ceive as  a  gift  a  righteousness  which  can  bear 
the  scrutiny  of  God.  Peace,  therefore,  is  not 
the  result  of  the  assurance  of  mere  pardon,  but 
of  pardon  founded  upon  a  righteousness  which 
illustrates  the  character  of  God,  which  magnifies 
the  law  and  makes  it  honourable ;  which  satis- 
fies the  justice  of  God,  while  it  displays  the  in- 
finite riches  of  his  tenderness  and  love.  The 
soul  can  find  no  objection  to  such  a  method  of 
forgiveness.  It  is  not  pained  by  the  ascription 
of  merit  to  itself,  which  is  felt  to  be  undeserved. 
Its  utter  unworthiness  is  not  only  recognised,  but 
openly  declared.  Nor  is  it  harassed  by  the 
anxious  doubt  whether  God  can,  consistently 
with  his  justice,  forgive  sin.  For  justice  is  as 
clearly  revealed  in  the  cross  of  Christ,  as  love. 
The  whole  soul,  therefore,  however  enlightened, 
or  however  sensitive,  acquiesces  with  humility 
and  delight  in  a  plan  of  mercy  which  thus  ho- 
nours God,  and  which,  while  it  secures  the  salva- 
tion of  the  sinner,  permits  him  to  hide  himself 
in  the  radiance  which  surrounds  his  Saviour. 

The  apostles,  moreover,  urge  on  men  the  doc- 
trine of  justification  by  fiiith  with  peculiar  earn- 
estness, because  it  presents  the  only  method  of 
deliverance  from  sin.  So  long  as  men  are  under 
the   condemnation  of   the   law,  and    feel  them- 


JUSTIFICATION.  185 

selves  bound  by  its  demands  of  obedience  as  the 
condition  and  ground  of  their  acceptance  with 
God,  they  do  and  must  feel  that  he  is  unrecon- 
ciled, that  his  perfections  are  arrayed  against 
them.  Their  whole  object  is  to  propitiate  him 
by  means  which  they  know  to  be  inadequate. 
Their  spirit  is  servile,  their  religion  a  bondage, 
their  God  is  a  hard  master.  To  men  in  such  a 
state,  true  love,  true  obedience  and  real  peace 
are  alike  impossible.  But  when  they  are 
brought  to  see  that  God,  through  his  infinite 
love,  has  set  forth  Jesus  Christ  as  a  propitiation 
for  our  sins,  that  he  might  be  just,  and  yet 
justify  those  that  believe;  that  it  is  not  by 
works  of  righteousness  which  we  have  done,  but 
according  to  his  mercy  he  saveth  us;  they  are 
emancipated  from  their  former  bondage  and 
made  the  sons  of  God.  God  is  no  longer  a  hard 
master,  but  a  kind  Father.  Obedience  is  no 
longer  a  task  to  be  done  for  a  reward;  it  is  the 
joyful  expression  of  filial  love.  The  wdiole  rehi- 
tion  of  the  soul  to  God  is  changed,  and  all  our 
feelings  and  conduct  change  with  it.  Though 
we  have  no  works  to  perform  in  order  to  justifi- 
cation, we  have  every  thing  to  do  in  order  to 
manifest  our  gratitude  and  love.  Do  we,  there- 
fore, make  void  the  law  through  faith  ?  God 
forbid :  yea,  we  establish  the  law.  There  is  no 
such  thing  as  real,  acceptable  obedience  until  we 
are  thus  delivered  from  the  bondage  of  the  law 
as  the  rule  of  justification,  and  are  reconciled  to 

16* 


186  JUSTIFICATION. 

God  by  the  death  of  his  Son.  Till  then  we  are 
slaves  and  enemies,  and  have  the  feelings  of 
slaves.  When  we  have  accepted  the  terms  of 
reconciliation  we  are  the  sons  of  God  and  have 
the  feelings  of  sons. 

It  must  not,  however,  be  supposed  that  the 
filial  obedience  rendered  by  the  children  of  God, 
is  the  efiect  of  the  mere  moral  influence  arising 
from  a  sense  of  his  favour.  Though  perhaps 
the  strongest  influence  which  any  external  con- 
sideration can  exert,  it  is  far  from  being  the 
source  of  the  holiness  which  always  follows 
faith.  The  very  act  by  which  we  become  in- 
terested in  the  redemption  of  Christ,  from  the 
condemnation  of  the  law,  makes  us  partakers 
of  his  Spirit.  It  is  not  mere  pardon,  or  any 
other  isolated  blessing,  that  is  offered  to  us  in 
the  gospel,  but  complete  redemption,  deliver- 
ance from  evil  and  restoration  to  the  love  and 
life  of  God.  Those,  therefore,  who  believe,  are 
not  merely  forgiven,  but  are  so  united  .to  Christ, 
that  they  derive  from  and  through  him,  the 
Holy  Spirit.  This  is  his  great  gift,  bestowed 
upon  all  who  come  to  him  and  confide  in  him. 
This  is  the  reason  why  he  says.  Without  me, 
ye  can  do  nothing.  As  the  branch  cannot  bear 
fruit  of  itself,  except  it  abide  in  the  vine;  no 
more  can  ye,  except  ye  abide  in  me.  I  am  the 
vine,  ye  are  the  branches.  He  that  abideth  in 
me,  and  I  in  him,  the  same  bringeth  forth  much 
fruit. 


JUSTIFICATION.  187 

The  gospel  method  of  salvation,  therefore,  is 
worthy  of  all  acceptation.  It  reveals  the  divine 
jDcrfections  in  the  clearest  and  most  affecting 
light,  and  it  is  in  every  way  suited  to  the  cha- 
racter and  necessities  of  men.  It  places  us  in 
our  true  position  as  undeserving  sinners ;  and  it 
secures  pardon,  peace  of  conscience  and  holiness 
of  life.  It  is  the  wisdom  and  the  power  of  God 
unto  salvation.  It  cannot  be  a  matter  of  sur- 
prise that  the  Scriptures  represent  the  rejection 
of  this  method  of  redemption,  as  the  prominent 
ground  of  the  condemnation  of  those  who  perish 
under  the  sound  of  the  gospel.  That  the  plan 
should  be  so  clearly  revealed,  and  yet  men 
should  insist  upon  adopting  some  other  better 
suited  to  their  inclinations,  is  the  height  of  folly 
and  disobedience.  That  the  Son  of  God  should 
come  into  the  world,  die  the  just  for  the  unjust, 
and  offer  us  eternal  life,  and  yet  we  should  re- 
ject his  profiered  mercy,  proj^es  such  an  insensi- 
bility to  his  excellence  and  love,  such  a  love  for 
sin,  such  a  disregard  of  the  approbation  and  en- 
joyment of  God,  that  could  all  other  grounds,  of 
condemnation  be  removed,  this  alone  would  be 
sufficient.  He  that  believeth  not,  is  condemned 
already,  because  he  hath  not  believed  in  the 
name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God. 


1 88  FAITH. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Section  I. — Faith  necessary  in  order  to  Salvation — 
The  Nature  of  Saving  Faith. 

However  abundant  and  suitable  may  be  the 
provision  which  God  has  made  for  the  salvation 
of  men,  there  are  many  who  fail  of  attaining 
eternal  life.  There  are  those  whom  Christ  shall 
profit  nothing.  Nay,  there  are  those  whose  con- 
demnation will  be  greatly  aggravated,  because 
they  have  known  and  rejected  the  Son  of  God, 
the  Saviour  of  the  world.  It  is,  therefore,  not 
less  necessary  that  we  should  know  what  we 
must  do  in  order  to  secure  an  interest  in  the 
redemption  of  Christ,  than  that  we  should  un- 
derstand what  he  has  done  for  our  salvation. 

If  God  has  revealed  a  plan  of  salvation  for 
sinners,  they  must,  in  order  to  be  saved,  acqui- 
esce in  its  provisions.  By  whatever  name  it 
may  be  called,  the  thing  to  be  done,  is  to  ap- 
prove and  accept  of  the  terms  of  salvation  pre- 
sented in  the  gospel.  As  the  plan  of  redemption 
is  designed  for  sinners,  the  reception  of  that  plan 
on  our  part,  implies  an  acknowledgment  that  we 
are   sinners,  and  justly  exposed  to  the  displea- 


FAITH.  189 

sure  of  God.  To  those  who  have  no  such  sense 
of  guilt,  it  must  appear  foolishness  and  an 
offence.  As  it  proceeds  upon  the  assumption 
of  the  insufficiency  of  any  obedience  of  our  own 
to  satisfy  the  demands  of  the  law,  acquiescence 
in  it  involves  the  renunciation  of  all  dependence 
upon  our  own  righteousness  as  the  ground  of 
our  acceptance  with  God.  If  salvation  is  of 
grace,  it  must  be  received  as  such.  To  intro- 
duce our  own  merit,  in  any  form  or  to  any  de- 
gree, is  to  reject  it;  because  grace  and  works 
are  essentially  opposed;  in  trusting  to  the  one 
we  renounce  the  other. 

As  justification  is  pardon  and  acceptance  dis- 
pensed on  the  ground  of  the  righteousness  of 
Christ,  acquiescence  in  the  plan  of  salvation 
involves  the  recognition  and  acceptance  of  the 
work  of  Christ  as  the  only  ground  of  justifica- 
tion before  God.  However  much  the  child  of 
God  may  be  perplexed  with  anxious  doubts  and 
vain  endeavours,  he  is  brought  at  last  to  see 
and  admire  the  perfect  simplicity  of  the  plan 
of  mercy ;  he  finds  that  it  requires  nothing  on 
his  part  but  the  acceptance  of  what  is  freely 
offered;  the  acceptance  of  it  as  free  and  un- 
merited. It  is  under  the  consciousness  of  ill- 
desert  and  helplessness  that  the  soul  embraces 
Jesus  Christ  as  he  is  presented  in  the  gospel. 
This  it  is  that  God  requires  of  us  in  order  to 
our  justification.  As  soon  as  this  is  done,  we 
are  united  to  Christ;  he  assumes  our  responsi- 


190  FAITH. 

bilities ;  he  pleads  our  cause ;  he  secures  our 
pardon  and  acceptance  on  the  ground  of  what 
he  has  done ;  so  that  there  is  no  condemnation 
to  them  that  are  in  Christ  Jesus. 

The  nature  of  the  duty  required  of  us  in  order 
to  our  justification,  is  made,  if  possible,  still 
more  plain  by  the  account  which  the  Bible 
gives  of  those  who  are  condemned.  They  are 
described  as  those  who  reject  Christ,  who  go 
about  to  establish  their  own  righteousness,  and 
refuse  to  submit  to  the  righteousness  of  God ; 
as  those  who  look  to  the  law  or  their  own 
works,  instead  of  relying  on  the  work  of  Christ. 
They  are  those  who  reject  the  counsel  of  God 
against  themselves ;  who,  ignorant  of  their  cha- 
racter and  of  the  requirements  of  God,  refuse 
to  be  saved  by  grace  through  the  redemption 
that  is  in  Christ  Jesus. 

The  word  by  which  this  acceptance  of  Christ 
is  commonly  expressed  in  the  Bible,  is  faith. 
God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whasoever  believeth  in  him 
might  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life.  He 
that  believeth  on  him  is  not  condemned;  but 
he  that  believeth  not  is  condemned  already. 
He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting 
life;  he  that  believeth  not  the  Son  shall  not 
see  life,  but  the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on  him. 
Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  believeth 
on  me  hath  everlasting  life.  Go  ye  into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature ; 


FAITH.  191 

he  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved, 
he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.  Sirs, 
what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  and  they  said, 
Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved.  God  is  just  and  the  justifier  of  him 
that  believeth  in  Jesus.  The  Gentiles  have 
attained  righteousness,  even  the  righteousness 
which  is  by  faith ;  but  Israel  hath  not  attained 
it,  because  they  sought  it  not  by  faith.  Know- 
ing that  a  man  is  not  justified  by  works  of  the 
law,  but  by  the  faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  even  we 
have  believed  in  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  might  be 
justified  by  the  faith  of  Christ,  and  not  by  the 
works  of  the  law.  By  grace  are  ye  saved 
through  ftiith,  and  that  not  of  yourselves,  it  is 
the  gift  of  God.  This  is  his  commandment, 
That  we  should  believe  on  his  Son  Jesus  Christ. 
He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath  the 
witness  in  himself. 

Language  so  j)lain  and  so  varied  as  this  can- 
not be  misunderstood.  It  teaches  every  serious 
inquirer  after  the  way  of  life,  that  in  order  to 
salvation,  he  must  believe  in  Jesus  Christ. 
Still,  though  he  knows  what  it  is  to  believe,  as 
well  as  any  one  can  tell  him,  yet  as  he  reads 
of  a  dead,  as  well  as  of  a  living  faith,  a  faith 
of  devils  and  a  faith  of  God's  elect ;  as  he  reads 
on  one  page  that  he  that  believes  shall  be  saved, 
and  on  another  that  Simon  himself  believed, 
and  yet  remained  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and 
the  bonds  of  iniquity,  he  is  often  greatly  per- 


192  FAITH. 

plexed  aiid  at  a  loss  to  determine  what  that 
faith  is,  which  is  connected  with  salvation. 
This  ambiguity  is  a  difficulty  which  is  insepa- 
rable from  the  use  of  language.  The  soul  of 
man  is  so  wonderful  in  its  operations ;  its  per- 
ceptions, emotions  and  affections  are  so  various 
and  so  complicated,  that  it  is  impossible  there 
should  be  a  different  word  for  every  distinct 
exercise.  It  is  therefore  absolutely  necessary 
that  the  same  word  should  be  used  to  express 
different  states  of  mind,  which  have  certain 
prominent  characteristics  in  common.  The  de- 
finite, in  distinction  from  the  general  or  compre- 
hensive meaning  of  the  word,  is  determined  by 
the  context;  by  explanatory  or  equivalent  ex- 
pressions ;  by  the  nature  of  the  thing  spoken  of, 
and  by  the  effects  ascribed  to  it.  This  is  found 
sufficient  for  all  the  purposes  of  intercourse  and 
instruction.  We  can  speak  without  being  mis- 
understood, of  loving  our  food,  of  loving  an  in- 
fant, of  loving  a  parent,  of  loving  God,  though 
in  each  of  these  cases  the  word  love  represents 
a  state  of  mind  peculiar  to  itself,  and  different 
from  all  the  others.  There  is  in  all  of  them 
a  pleasurable  excitement  on  the  perception  of 
certain  qualities,  and  this  we  call  love,  though 
no  states  of  mind  can  well  be  more  distinct, 
than  the  complacent  fondness  with  which  a 
parent  looks  upon  his  infant,  and  the  adoring 
reverence  with  which  he  turns  his  soul  toward 
God. 


FAITH.  193 

We  need  not  be  surprised,  therefore,  that  the 
word  faith  is  used  in  Scripture  to  express  very 
different  exercises,  or  states  of  mind.  In  its 
widest  sense,  faith  is  an  assent  to  truth  upon 
the  exhibition  of  evidence.  It  does  not  seem 
accessary  that  this  evidence  should  be  of  the 
nature  of  testimony ;  for  we  are  commonly  and 
properly  said  to  believe  whatever  we  regard  as 
true.  We  believe  in  the  existence  and  attributes 
of  God,  though  our  assent  is  not  founded  upon 
what  is  strictly  called  testimony.  But  if  faith 
means  assent  to  truth,  it  is  obvious  that  its  na- 
ture and  attendants  must  vary  with  the  nature 
of  the  truth  believed,  and  especially  with  the 
nature  of  the  evidence  upon  which  our  assent  is 
founded.  A  man  may  assent  to  the  proposition, 
that  the  earth  moves  round  its  axis,  that  virtue 
is  good,  that  sin  will  be  punished,  that  to  him, 
as  a  believer,  God  promises  salvation.  In  all 
these  cases  there  is  assent,  and  therefore  faith, 
but  the  state  of  mind  expressed  by  the  term  is 
not  always  the  same.  Assent  to  a  speculative 
or  abstract  truth  is  a  speculative  act ;  assent  to 
a  moral  truth  is  a  moral  act ;  assent  to  a  pro- 
mise made  to  ourselves  is  an  act  of  trust.  Our 
belief  that  the  earth  moves  round  its  axis  is  a 
mere  assent.  Our  belief  in  the  excellence  of 
virtue  is,  in  its  nature,  a  moral  judgment.  Our 
belief  of  a  promise  is  an  act  of  trust.  Or  if  any 
choose  to  say  that  trust  is  the  result  of  assent 

to  the  truth  of  the  promise,  it  may  be  admitted 

17 


194  FAITH. 

as  a  mere  matter  of  analysis,  but  the  distinction 
is  of  no  consequence,  because  the  two  things  are 
inseparable,  and  because  the  Scriptures  do  not 
make  the  distinction.  In  the  language  of  the 
Bible,  faith  in  the  promises  of  God  is  a  believing 
reliance,  and  no  blessing  is  connected  with 
mere  assent  as  distinguished  and  separated  from 
reliance. 

It  is,  however,  of  more  consequence  to  remark 
that  the  nature  of  the  act  by  which  we  assent 
to  truth,  is  modified  by  the  kind  of  evidence 
upon  which  our  assent  is  founded.  The  blind 
may  believe,  on  the  testimony  of  others,  in  the 
existence  of  colours,  and  the  deaf  in  the  har- 
mony of  sounds,  but  their  faith  is  very  different 
from  the  faith  of  those  w^ho  enjoy  the  exercise 
of  the  sense  of  sight  or  hearing.  The  universal 
reputation  of  such  men  as  Bacon  and  Newton 
and  the  acknowledged  influence  of  their  writ- 
ings, may  be  the  foundation  of  a  very  rational 
conviction  of  their  intellectual  superiority.  But 
a  conviction,  founded  upon  the  perusal  and  ap- 
preciation of  their  own  works,  is  of  an  essentially 
different  character.  We  may  believe  on  the 
testimony  of  those  in  whose  veracity  and  judg- 
ment we  confide,  that  a  man  of  whom  we  know 
nothing  has  great  moral  excellence.  But  if  we 
see  for  ourselves  the  exhibition  of  his  excellence, 
we  believe  for  other  reasons,  and  in  a  different 
way.  The  state  of  mind,  therefore,  which,  in 
the  language  of  common  life  and  in  that  of  the 


FAITH.  195 

sacred  Scriptures,  is  expressed  by  the  word  faith, 
varies  essentially  with  the  nature  of  the  evidence 
uj)on  which  our  belief  rests. 

One  man  believes  the  Bible  to  be  the  word  of 
God,  and  the  facts  and  doctrines  therein  con- 
tained to  be  true,  simply  on  the  testimony  of 
others.  Born  in  a  Christian  land  and  taught 
by  his  parents  to  regard  the  Scriptures  as  a 
revelation  from  God,  he  yields  a  general  assent 
to  the  truth,  without  troubling  himself  with  any 
personal  examination  into  the  evidence  upon 
which  it  rests.  Another  believes  because  he 
has  investigated  the  subject.  He  sees  that 
there  is  no  rational  way  of  accounting  for  the 
miracles,  the  accomplishment  of  predictions,  the 
success  and  influence  of  the  gospel,  except  upon 
the  assumption  of  its  divine  origin.  Others, 
again,  believe  because  the  truths  of  the  Bible 
commend  themselves  to  their  reason  and  con- 
science, and  accord  with  their  inward  experi- 
ence. Those,  whose  faith  rests  upon  this  foun- 
dation, often  receive  the  word  with  joy,  they  do 
many  things,  and  have  much  of  the  appearance 
of  true  Christians ;  or,  like  Felix,  they  believe 
and  tremble.  This  is  the  foundation  of  the 
faith  which  often  surprises  the  wicked  in  their 
last  hours.  Men  who  all  their  lives  have  neg- 
lected or  reddled  the  truth,  and  who  may  have 
accumulated  a  treasury  of  objections  to  the 
authority  of  the  Scriptures,  are  often  brought 
to  believe  by  a  power  which  they  cannot  resist. 


196  FAITH. 

An  awakened  conscience  affirms  the  truth  with 
an  authority  before  which  they  quail.  Their 
doubts  and  sophistries  fly  affrighted  before  the 
majesty  of  this  new  revealed  witness  for  the 
truth.  To  disbelieve  is  now  impossible.  That 
there  is  a  God,  that  he  is  holy  and  just,  and 
that  there  is  a  hell,  they  would  give  the  world 
to  doubt,  but  cannot.  Here  is  a  faith  very  dif- 
ferent in  its  origin,  nature  and  effects  from  that 
which  rests  upon  the  authority  of  men,  or  upon 
external  evidence  and  argument.  Though  the 
faith  just  described  is  generally  most  strikingly 
exhibited  at  the  approach  of  death,  it  often  hap- 
pens that  men  who  are  habitually  careless  are 
suddenly  arrested  in  their  career.  Their  con- 
science is  aroused  and  enlightened.  They  feel 
those  things  to  be  true,  which  before  they  either 
denied  or  disregarded.  The  truth,  therefore, 
has  great  power  over  them.  It  destroys  their 
former  peace.  It  forces  them  to  self-denial  and 
the  performance  of  religious  duties.  Sometimes 
this  influence  soon  wears  off,  as  conscience  sub- 
sides into  its  accustomed  slumber.  At  others 
it  continues  long,  even  to  the  end  of  life.  It 
then  constitutes  that  spirit  of  bondage  and  fear 
under  which  its  unhappy  subjects  endeavour  to 
work  out  a  way  to  heaven,  without  embracing 
the  gospel  of  the  grace  of  God.  The  effects 
produced  by  a  faith  of  this  kind,  though  spe- 
cifically different  from  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit, 
are  not  always  easily  detected  by  the  eye  of 


FAITH.  197 

man.  And  hence  many  who  appear  outwardly 
as  the  children  of  God,  are  inwardly  under  the 
dominion  of  a  spirit  the  opposite  of  the  loving, 
confiding,  filial  temper  of  the  gospel. 

There  is  a  faith  different  from  any  of  those 
forms  of  belief  which  have  yet  been  mentioned. 
It  is  a  faith  which  rests  upon  the  manifestation 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  of  the  excellence,  beauty 
and  suitableness  of  the  truth.  This  is  what 
Peter  calls  the  precious  faith  of  God's  elect.  It 
arises  from  a  spiritual  apprehension  of  the  truth, 
or  from  the  testimony  of  the  Spirit  with  and  by 
the  truth  in  our  hearts.  Of  this  faith  the  Scrip- 
tures make  frequent  mention.  Christ  said,  I 
thank  thee,  0  Father,  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
that  thou  hast  hid  these  things  from  the  wise 
and  prudent,  and  hast  revealed  them  unto 
babes.*  The  external  revelation  was  made 
equally  to  the  wise  and  to  the  babes.  To  the 
latter,  however,  was  granted  an  inward  illumi- 
nation which  enabled  them  to  see  the  excel- 
lence of  the  truth,  which  commanded  their 
joyful  assent.  Our  Saviour  therefore  added, 
No  man  knoweth  who  the  Son  is,  but  the  Fa- 
ther ;  and  who  the  Father  is,  but  the  Son,  and 
he  to  whom  the  Son  will  reveal  him.  When 
Peter  made  his  confession  of  faith  in  Christ,  our 
Saviour  said  to  him.  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon 
Bar-jona :  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed 


*  Luke  X.  21. 
17* 


198  FAITH. 

it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.* 
Paul  was  a  persecutor  of  the  church ;  but  when 
it  2^1eased  God  to  reveal  his  Son  in  him,  he  at 
once  preached  the  faith  which  he  before  de- 
stroyed. He  had  an  external  knowledge  of 
Christ  before ;  but  this  internal  revelation  he 
experienced  on  his  way  to  Damascus,  and  it 
effected  an "  instant  change  in  his  whole  cha- 
racter. There  was  nothing  miraculous  or  pecu- 
liar in  the  conversion  of  the  apostle,  except  in 
the  mere  incidental  circumstances  of  his  case. 
He  speaks  of  all  believers  as  having  the  same 
divine  illumination.  God,  he  says,  who  com- 
manded the  light  to  shine  out  of  darkness,  hath 
shined  into  our  hearts,  to  give  us  the  light  of 
the  knowledge  of  the  glory  of  God,  as  it  shines 
in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.f  On  the  other  hand, 
he  speaks  of  those  whose  minds  the  god  of  this 
world  hath  blinded,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious 
gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  should 
shine  unto  them.  In  the  second  chapter  of  his 
first  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians,  he  dwells  much 
upon  this  subject,  and  teaches  not  only  that  the 
true  divine  wisdom  of  the  gospel  was  undisco- 
verable  by  human  wisdom,  but  that  when  exter- 
nally revealed,  we  need  the  Spirit  that  we  may 
know  the  things  freely  given  to  us  of  God.  For 
the  natural  man  receiveth  not  the  things  of  the 
Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness  unto  him ; 

*  Matt.  xvi.  17.  1 2  Cor.  iv.  6. 


FAITH.  199 

neither  can  he  know  them,  for  they  are  spiritu- 
ally discerned.  Hence  the  apostle  prays  for  his 
readers,  that  the  eyes  of  their  understandings 
(hearts)  might  be  opened,  that  they  might  know 
the  hope  of  their  calling,  the  riches  of  their  in- 
heritance, and  the  greatness  of  the  divine  power 
of  which  they  were  the  subjects.*  And  in  an- 
other place,  that  they  might  be  filled  with  the 
knowledge  of  his  will,  in  all  wisdom  and  spirit- 
ual understanding.^  By  spiritual  understanding 
is  meant  that  insight  into  the  nature  of  the 
truth  which  is  the  result  of  the  influence  of  the 
Spirit  upon  the  heart.  Since  faith  is  founded 
on  this  spiritual  apprehension,  Paul  says,  he 
preached  not  with  the  enticing  words  of  man's 
wisdom,  because  a  faith  which  resulted  from 
such  preaching  could  be  at  best  a  rational  con- 
viction ;  but  in  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit 
and  of  power,  that  the  faith  of  his  hearers  might 
stand,  not  in  the  wisdom  of  men,  but  in  the 
power  of  God. J  Hence  faith  is  said  to  be  one 
of  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  the  gift  of  God,  the 
result  of  his  operation. §  These  representations 
of  the  Scriptures  accord  with  the  experience  of 
the  people  of  God.  They  know  that  their  faith 
is  not  founded  upon  the  testimony  of  othvjrs,  or 
exclusively  or  mainly  upon  external  evidence. 
They  believe  because  the  truth  appears  i^  them 


*  Eph.  i.  18, 19.  t  Col.  i.  9. 

X  1  Cor.  ii.  4,  5.  g  Eph.  ii.  8 ;  Col.  L   L2. 


200  FAITH. 

both  true  and  good ;  because  they  feel  its  power 
and  experience  its  consolations. 

It  is  obvious  that  a  faith  founded  upon  the 
spiritual  apprehension  of  the  truth,  as  it  differs 
in  its  origin,  must  also  differ  in  its  effects,  from 
every  other  kind  of  belief  Of  the  multitudes 
who  believe  the  Scriptures  upon  authority  or  on 
the  ground  of  external  evidence,  how  large  a 
portion  disregard  their  precepts  and  warnings! 
To  say  that  such  persons  do  not  believe,  though 
true  in  one  sense,  is  not  true  in  another.  They 
do  believe;  and  to  assert  the  contrary  is  to  con- 
tradict their  consciousness.  The  state  of  mind 
which  they  exhibit,  is  in  the  Bible  called  faith, 
though  it  is  dead.  This  rational  conviction,  in 
other  cases,  combined  with  other  causes,  pro- 
duces that  decorous  attention  to  the  duties  of 
religion  and  that  general  propriety  of  conduct 
which  are  so  often  exhibited  by  the  hearers  of 
the  gospel.  The  faith  which  is  founded  on  the 
power  of  conscience,  produces  still  more  marked 
effects;  either  temporary  obedience  and  joy,  or 
the  despair  and  opposition  manifested  by  the 
convinced,  the  dying  and  the  lost;  or  that  lar 
borious  slavery  of  religion  of  which  we  have 
already  spoken.  But  that  faith,  which  is  the 
gift  of  God,  which  arises  from  his  opening  our 
eyes  to  see  the  excellence  of  the  truth,  is  attend- 
ed with  joy  and  love.  These  feelings  are  as  im- 
mediately and  necessarily  attendant  on  this  kind 
of   faith,  as  pleasure   is   on  the   perception  of 


FAITH.  201 

beauty.  Hence  faith  is  said  to  work  by  love. 
And  as  all  revealed  truth  is  the  object  of  the 
faith  of  which  we  now  speak,  every  truth  must, 
in  proportion  to  the  strength  of  our  faith,  pro- 
duce its  appropriate  effect  upon  the  heart.  A 
belief  of  the  being  and  perfections  of  God, 
founded  upon  the  apprehension  of  his  glory, 
must  produce  love,  reverence  and  confidence, 
with  a  desire  to  be  conformed  to  his  image. 
Hence  the  apostle  says :  We  all,  with  open  face, 
beholding,  as  in  a  glass,  the  glory  of  God,  are 
changed  into  the  same  image  from  glory  to 
glory,  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord.*  Faith  in 
his  threatenings,  founded  upon  a  perce^^tion  of 
their  justice,  their  harmony  with  his  perfections, 
and  the  ill-desert  of  sin,  must  produce  fear  and 
trembling.  His  people,  therefore,  are  described 
as  those  who  tremble  at  his  word.  Faith  in  his 
promises,  founded  upon  the  apprehension  of  his 
faithfulness  and  power,  their  harmony  with  all 
his  revealed  purposes,  their  suitableness  to  our 
nature  and  necessities,  must  produce  confidence, 
joy  and  hope.  This  was  the  faith  which  made 
Abraham  leave  his  own  country,  to  go  to  a 
strange  land;  which  led  Moses  to  esteem  the 
reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the  trea- 
sures of  Egypt.  This  was  the  faith  of  David 
also,  of  Samuel,  and  of  all  the  prophets,  who 
through  faith  subdued  kingdoms,  wrought  rights 

*  2  Cor.  iii.  18. 


202  FAITH. 

eousness,  obtained  promises,  stopped  the  mouths 
of  lions,  quenched  the  violence  of  fire,  escaped 
the  edge  of  the  sword,  out  of  weakness  were 
made  strong,  waxed  valiant  in  fight,  turned  to 
flight  the  armies  of  the  aliens.  This  is  the  faith 
which  leads  all  the  people  of  God  to  confess  that 
they  are  strangers  and  pilgrims  upon  earth,  and 
that  they  look  for  a  city  wdiich  hath  foundations, 
whose  builder  and  maker  is  God.  This  is  the 
faith  which  overcomes  the  world,  which  leads 
the  believer  to  set  his  affections  on  things  a-bove, 
where  Christ  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God; 
which  enables  him  to  glory  even  in  tribulation, 
while  he  looks  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen, 
but  at  the  things  which  are  not  seen;  for  the 
things  that  are  seen  are  temporal,  but  the  things 
that  are  not  seen  are  eternal. 

And  what  shall  we  say  of  a  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ  founded  upon  the  apprehension  of  the 
glory  of  God,  as  it  shines  in  him;  which  beholds 
that  glory  as  the  glory  of  the  only  begotten  of 
the  Father  full  of  grace  and  truth ;  which  con- 
templates the  Kedeemer  as  clothed  in  our  na- 
ture; the  first  born  of  many  brethren;  as  dying 
for  our  sins,  rising  again  for  our  justification, 
ascending  into  heaven,  and  as  now  seated  at  the 
right  hand  of  God,  where  he  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession  for  us?  Such  a  faith,  the 
apostle  tells  us,  must  produce  love,  for  he  says, 
Whom  having  not  seen  ye  love,  and  in  whom, 
though  now  ye  see  him  not,  yet  believing,  ye 


FAITH.  203 

rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory. 
The  soul  gladly  receives  him  as  a  Saviour  in  all 
the  characters  and  for  all  the  purposes  for  which 
he  is  revealed;  and  naturally  desires  to  be  con- 
formed to  his  will,  and  to  make  known  the  un- 
searchable riches  of  his  grace  to  others. 

It  is  no  less  obvious  that  no  one  can  believe 
the  representations  given  in  the  Scriptures  re- 
specting the  character  of  man  and  the  ill-desert 
of  sin,  with  a  faith  founded  upon  right  apprehen- 
sion of  the  holiness  of  God  and  the  evil  of  his 
own  heart,- without  experiencing  self-condemna- 
tion, self-abhorrence,  and  a  constant  hungering 
and  thirsting  after  righteousness.  Thus  of  all 
the  truths  in  the  word  of  God,  it  may  be  said, 
that  so  far  as  they  are  believed  in  virtue  of  this 
spiritual  apprehension,  they  will  exert  their  ap- 
propriate influence  upon  the  heart  and  conse- 
quently upon  the  life.  That  such  a  faith  should 
not  produce  good  fruits,  is  as  impossible  as  that 
the  sun  should  give  light  without  heat.  This 
faith  is  the  living  head  of  all  right  affections 
and  of  all  holy  living;  without  it  all  religion  is 
a  dull  formality,  a  slavish  drudgery,  or  at  best  a 
rationalistic  homage.  Hence  we  are  said,  to  live 
by  faith,  to  walk  by  faith,  to  be  sanctified  by 
faith,  to  overcome  by  faith,  to  be  saved  by  faith. 
And  the  grand  characteristic  of  the  people  of 
God  is,  that  they  are  Believers. 


204  FAITH. 


Section  II. — Faith  as  connected  with  Justification. 

What  has  been  said  hitherto  is  designed  to 
iUustrate  the  nature  of  saving  faith,  as  it  is 
represented  in  the  Scriptures.  It  differs  from 
all  other  acts  of  the  mind  to  which  the  term 
faith  is  applied,  mainly  on  account  of  the  na- 
ture of  the  evidence  on  which  it  is  founded. 
The  Bible,  however,  is  more  definite  in  its 
instructions  on  this  subject.  Besides  teaching 
us  that  there  is  a  faith  which  receives  as  true 
all  the  declarations  of  God,  in  virtue  of  an  evi- 
dence exhibited  and  applied  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
it  tells  us  what  those  particular  acts  of  faith  are, 
which  secure  our  justification  before  God.  It 
plainly  teaches  that  we  are  justified  by  those 
acts  of  faith  which  have  a  special  reference  to 
Christ  and  his  mediatorial  work.  Thus  we  are 
said  to  be  justified  by  faith  in  his  blood.*  The 
righteousness  of  God  is  said  to  be  by  faith  of 
Jesus  Christ;  that  is,  by  faith  of  which  he  is 
the  object.f  This  expression  occurs  frequently ; 
Knowiug,  says  the  apostle,  that  a  man  is  not 
justified  by  the  works  of  the  law,  but  by  the 
faith  of  Jesus  Christ,  even  we  have  believed  in 
Jesus  Christ,  that  we  might  be  justified  by  the 
faith  of  Christ.  J  Not  having  my  own  righteous- 
ness, which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is 

*  Rom.  iii.  25.  f  Rom.  iii.  22.  %  Gal.  ii.  16. 


FAITH.  205 

through   the   faith   of   Christ.*      In    all    these 
places,  and  in  many  others  of  a  similar  kind,  it 
is  expressly  stated  that  Christ  is  the  object  of 
justifying  faith.     The  same  doctrine  is  taught  in 
those  numerous  passages,  in  which  justification 
or    salvation    is    connected   with    believing    in 
Christ.     Whosoever  believeth  in  him  shall  not 
perish,   but   have   eternal   life.f      He   that   be- 
lieveth on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life.J     Who- 
soever believeth  on  him  shall  receive  remission 
of  sins.§     Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and 
thou  shalt   be  saved. ||     The  same  truth  is  in- 
volved in  all  the  representations  of  the  method 
of  justification  given  in  the  word  of  God.     We 
are  said  to  be  justified  by  the  death  of  Christ, 
by  the  blood  of  his  cross,  by  the  redemption  that 
is  in  him,  by  the  sacrifice  of  himself,  by  his  bear- 
ing our  sins,  by  his  obedience,  or  righteousness. 
All  these  representations  imply  that  Christ,  in 
his  mediatorial  character,  is  the  special  object  of 
justifying  faith.     It   is  indeed    impossible   that 
any  man  should  believe  the  record  which  God 
has  given  of  his  Son,  without  believing  every 
other  record  which  he  has  given,  so  far  as  it  is 
known  and  apprehended;  still  the  special  act  of 
faith,  which  is  connected  with  our  justification, 
is  belief  in  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Saviour  from  sin. 
And   when  we    are   commanded   to   believe   in 


*  Phil.  iii.  9.  f  John  iii.  16.  J  John  iii.  36. 

I  Acts  X.  43.  II  Acts  xvi.  31. 

18 


206  PAITH. 

Jesus  Christ,  the  scriptural  meaning  of  the  ex- 
pression is,  that  we  should  trust,  or  confide  in 
him.  It  does  not  express  mere  assent  to  the 
proposition  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  which  an- 
gels and  devils  exercise ;  but  it  expresses  trust 
which  involves  knowledge  and  assent.  To  be- 
lieve in  Christ  as  a  propitiation  for  sin,  is  to  re- 
ceive and  confide  in  him  as  such. 

From  this  representation  it  is  clear  what  we 
must  do  to  be  saved.  When  the  mind  is  per- 
plexed and  anxious  from  a  sense  of  sin  and  the 
accusations  of  conscience;  when  the  troubled 
spirit  looks  round  for  some  way  of  escape  from 
the  just  displeasure  of  God,  the  voice  of  mercy 
from  the  lips  of  the  Son  of  God  is.  Come  unto 
me,  believe  upon  me,  submit  to  be  saved  By  me. 
Till  this  is  done,  nothing  is  done.  And  when 
this  cordial  act  of  faith  in  Christ  is  exercised, 
we  are  accepted  for  his  sake,  and  he  undertakes 
to  save  us  from  the  dominion  and  condemnation 
of  our  sins.  The  experience  of  the  people  of 
God,  when  they  are  made  the  recipients  of  that 
divine  illumination  which  reveals  to  them  the 
glory  of  God,  their  own  unworthiness,  and  the 
plan  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ,  is  no  doubt 
very  various.  It  is  modified  by  their  previous 
knowledge,  by  their  peculiar  state  of  mind,  by 
the  particular  truth  which  happens  to  attract 
their  attention,  by  the  clearness  of  the  manifes- 
tation and  by  many  other  circumstances.  This 
diversity  is  readily  admitted,  yet  since  no  man 


FAITH.  207 

can  come  unto  the  Father  but  by  the  Son ;  smce 
without  faith  in  him  there  is  no  forgiveness 
and  no  access  to  God,  it  must  still  be  true  that, 
with  greater  or  less  distinctness  of  apprehension, 
Christ  and  his  mediatorial  work  constitute  the 
object  of  the  first  gracious  exercises  of  the  re- 
newed soul.  Any  approach  to  God,  any  hope 
of  his  favour,  any  peace  of  conscience  or  confi- 
dence of  pardon,  not  founded  upon  him,  must  be 
delusive.  Having  ("that  is,  because  we  have) 
such  a  High  Priest,  we  come  with  boldness  to 
the  throne  of  grace ;  and  this  is  the  only  ground 
on  which  we  can  venture  to  draw  near.  The 
whole  plan  of  redemption  shows  that  there  is  no 
pardon,  no  access  to  God,  no  peace  or  reconcilia- 
tion except  through  Jesus  Christ.  And  this 
idea  is  so  constantly  presented  in  the  Bible,  that 
all  genuine  religious  experience  must  be  in  ac- 
cordance with  it. 

It  is,  however,  of  such  vital  importance  for 
the  sinner  distinctly  to  understand  what  it  is 
that  is  required  of  him,  that  God  has  graciously 
so  illustrated  the  nature  of  saving  faith  that  the 
most  illiterate  reader  of  the  Scriptures  may 
learn  the  way  of  life.  It  is  not  merely  by  the 
term  faith,  or  believing,  that  this  act  of  the  soul 
is  expressed,  but  by  many  others  of  equivalent 
import.  The  consideration  of  a  few  of  these 
will  serve  to  explain  more  distinctly  the  plan  of 
salvation,  by  showing  at  once  the  nature,  object 
and  ofiice  of  justifying  faith. 


208  FAITH. 

One  of  the  most  comprehensive  and  intelli- 
gible of  these  equivalent  terms  is  that  of  receiv- 
ing. To  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave 
he  power  to  become  the  sons  of  God.*  As  ye 
have  therefore  received  Christ  Jesus  the  Lord  so 
walk  ye  in  him.*j*  Believers  are  therefore  de- 
scribed as  those  who  receive  the  gift  of  right- 
eousness; J  as  those  who  gladly  receive  the 
word.§  To  receive  Jesus  Christ  is  to  accept  and 
recognise  him  in  the  character  in  which  he  pre- 
sents himself,  as  the  Son  of  God,  the  Saviour 
of  sinners,  as  a  propitiation  for  our  sins,  as  a 
ransom  for  our  souls,  as  the  Lord  our  righteous- 
ness. He  came  to  his  own,  and  his  own  received 
him  not.  The  Jews  would  not  recognise  him  as 
the  Messiah,  the  only  Mediator  between  God 
and  man,  as  the  end  of  the  law  for  righteous- 
ness. They  denied  the  Holy  One,  and  put  far 
from  them  the  offer  of  life  through  him.  Could 
the  nature,  the  object,  or  office  of  faith  be  pre- 
sented more  clearly  than  they  are  by  this  repre- 
sentation? Can  the  soul,  anxious  about  salva- 
tion, doubt  what  it  has  to  do?  Jesus  Christ  is 
presented  to  him  in  the  gospel  as  the  Son  of 
God,  clothed  in  our  nature,  sent  by  the  Father 
to  make  reconciliation  for  iniquity,  to  bring  in 
everlasting  righteousness,  to  redeem  us  from  the 
curse  of  the  law  by  being  made  a  curse  for  us. 


*  John  i.  12.  t  Col.  ii.  6. 

X  Rom.  V.  17.  §  Acts  ii.  41. 


FAITH.  209 

All  that  we  have  to  do,  is  to  receive  him  in  this 
character;  and  those  who  thus  receive  him  he 
makes  the  sons  of  God,  that  is,  the  objects  of 
his  favour,  the  subjects  of  his  grace  and  the 
heirs  of  his  kin«:dom. 

A  still  more  simple  illustration  of  the  nature 
of  faith  is  contained  in  those  passages  in  which 
we  are  commanded  to  look  unto  God.  Look 
unto  me  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the 
earth.*  Our  Saviour  avails  himself  of  this 
figure,  when  he  says,  As  Moses  lifted  up  the 
serpent  in  the  w^ilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son 
of  Man  be  lifted  up,  that  whosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  j^erish,  but  have  eternal  life.*}* 
The  dying  Israelite,  who  was  commanded  to 
turn  his  feeble  eye  on  the  brazen  serpent,  was 
surely  at  no  loss  to  know  the  nature  of  the 
duty  required  of  him.  He  knew  there  was  no 
virtue  in  the  act  of  looking.  He  might  look  in 
vain  all  round  the  wide  horizon.  He  was 
healed,  not  for  looking,  but  because  the  serpent 
was  placed  there  by  the  command  of  God,  and 
salvation  made  to  depend  upon  submitting  to  the 
appointed  method  of  relief  Why  then  should 
the  soul  convinced  of  sin  and  misery  be  in  doubt 
as  to  what  it  has  to  do?  Christ  has  been  set 
forth  as  crucified;  and  we  are  commanded  to 
look  to  him  and  be  saved.  Can  any  thing  be 
more    simple?      Must    not    every    attempt    to 


*  Isa.  xlv.  22.  t  John  iii.  14,  15. 

18* 


210  FAITH. 

render  more  intelligible  the  Saviour's  beautiful 
illustration,  serve  only  to  darken  counsel  by 
words  without  wisdom? 

Another  striking  illustration  of  this  subject, 
may  be  found  in  Heb.  vi.  18,  where  believers 
are  described  as  those  who  have  fled  for  refuge 
to  lay  hold  of  the  hope  set  before  them.  As 
of  old,  the  man-slayer,  when  joursued  by  the 
avenger  of  blood,  fled  to  the  city  of  refuge, 
whose  gates  were  open  night  and  day,  and 
whose  highways  were  always  unencumbered;  so 
the  soul,  under  the  sense  of  its  guilt  and  con- 
vinced that  it  must  perish  if  it  remains  where  it 
is,  flees  to  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  appointed  refuge 
and  finds  peace  and  security  in  him.  There  the 
avenger  cannot  touch  him;  there  the  law,  which 
before  denounced  vengeance,  spreads  its  ample 
shield  around  him  and  gives  him  the  assurance 
of  safety. 

A  still  more  common  method  of  expressing 
the  act  of  saving  faith,  is  to  be  found  in  such 
passages  as  John  vi.  -S5.  He  that  cometh  to  me 
shall  never  hunger,  and  he  that  believeth  on  me 
shall  never  thirst.  All  that  the  Father  giveth 
me  shall  come  to  me;  and  him  that  cometh  to 
me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.  Here  coming  and 
believing  are  interchanged  as  expressing  the 
same  idea.  So  also  in  the  following  chapter, 
where  our  Saviour  says.  If  any  man  thirst  let 
him  come  unto  me  and  drink.  He  that  believ- 
eth on  me,  as  the  Scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his 


FAITH.  211 

belly  shall  flow  rivers  of  living  waters.  Hence 
the  invitations  and  commands  of  the  gospel  are 
often  expressed  by  this  word.  Come  unto  me, 
all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I 
will  give  you  rest.  And  in  the  closing  invita- 
tion of  the  sacred  volume,  The  Spirit  and  the 
bride  say.  Come;  and  let  him  that  heareth,  say. 
Come;  and  let  him  that  is  athirst  come;  and 
whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life 
freely. 

Though  this  language  is  so  plain  that  nothing 
but  the  illumination  of  the  Spirit  can  render  it 
plainer,  yet  the  troubled  soul  perplexes  itself 
with  the  inquiry,  What  is  it  to  come  to  Christ  ? 
Though  assured  that  he  is  not  far  from  any  one 
of  us,  we  are  often  forced  to  cry  out,  0  that  I 
knew  where  I  might  find  him !  that  I  might 
come  even  to  his  seat.  Behold  I  go  forward, 
but  he  is  not  there ;  and  backward,  but  I  cannot 
perceive  him ;  on  the  left  hand,  where  he  doth 
work,  but  I  cannot  behold  him ;  he  hideth  him- 
self on  the  right  hand,  that  I  cannot  see  him. 
It. is  often  the  very  simplicity  of  the  requirement 
that  deceives  us.  We  think  we  must  do  some 
great  thing,  which  shall  bear  a  certain  propor- 
tion to  the  blessing  connected  with  it.  We  can- 
not believe  that  it  is  merely  looking,  merely 
receiving,  merely  coming  as  the  prodigal  came 
to  his  father,  or  as  the  Israelite  came  to  the 
high  priest  who  was  appointed  to  make  atone- 
ment for  the  sins  of  the  people.     Yet  it  is  :5ven 


212  FAITH. 

thus  that  we  must  come  to  the  High  Priest  of 
our  profession,  with  confession  of  sin,  and  submit 
to  the  application  of  his  blood  as  the  appointed 
means  of  pardon,  and  rejoice  in  the  assurance  of 
the  divine  favour.  Or  still  more  impressively, 
as  the  Hebrew  believer  came  to  the  altar,  laid 
his  hand  with  confession  upon  the  head  of  the 
victim,  and  saw  it  die  in  his  stead,  so  does  the 
trembling  soul  come  to  Christ  as  its  propitiatory 
sacrifice,  and  confiding  in  the  efficacy  of  his 
death,  looks  up  to  God  and  says,  My  Father ! 
Coming  to  Christ,  therefore,  is  the  confiding  re- 
ception of  him  in  the  offices  and  for  the  pur- 
poses for  which  he  is  presented  in  the  word  of 
God,  as  our  mediator  and  priest,  as  our  advocate 
with  the  Father,  as  our  Redeemer  and  Lord. 

Another  term  by  which  faith  is  expressed  is 
submitting.  This  is  not  to  be  understood  as 
meaning  a  submission  to  the  will  of  God  as  a 
sovereign  ruler,  a  giving  up  all  .our  controversy 
with  him  and  resigning  ourselves  into  his  hands. 
All  this  is  duty,  but  it  is  not  saving  faith.  The 
submission  required  is  submission  to  the  revealed 
plan  of  salvation ;  it  is  the  giving  up  all  excuses 
for  our  sins,  all  dependence  upon  our  own  right- 
eousness, and  submitting  to  the  righteousness 
which  God  has  provided  for  our  justification. 
This  is  what  the  Jews  refused  to  do,  and  pe- 
rished in  unbelief*     This  is  what  we  must  do, 

■^  Rum.  X.  3,  and  xi.  20. 


FAITH.  213 

in  order  to  be  saved.  Men,  when  sensible  of 
their  guilt  and  danger,  are  perplexed  and  anx- 
ious about  many  things.  But  there  is  only 
one  thing  for  them  to  do.  They  must  submit 
to  be  saved  as  ungodly,  as  sinners,  as  entirely 
undeserving,  solely  for  Christ's  sake.  They 
must  consent  to  allow  the  robe  of  his  righteous- 
ness to  be  cast  over  all  their  nakedness  and 
blood,  that  they  may  be  found  in  him,  not  hav- 
ing their  own  righteousness,  but  the  righteous- 
ness which  is  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  Then 
will  they  be  prepared  to  join  that  great  multi- 
tude which  stand  before  the  throne  and  before 
the  Lamb,  clothed  in  white  robes  and  palms  in 
their  hands,  crying  with  a  loud  voice,  Salvation 
to  our  God  who  sitteth  upon  the  throne,  and  to 
the  Lamb,  for  thou  wast  slain,  and  hast  redeemed 
us  unto  God  by  thy  blood,  out  of  every  kindred, 
and  people,  and  tongue,  and  nation,  and  hast 
made  us  unto  our  God  kings  and  priests. 

It  is  thus  that  the  Bible  answers  the  question, 
What  must  we  do  to  be  saved  ?  We  are  told  to 
believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and  to  set 
forth  the  nature,  the  object  and  office  of  this 
faith,  the  Scriptures  employ  the  most  significant 
terms  and  illustrations,  in  order  that  we  mav 
learn  to  renounce  ourselves  and  our  works,  and 
to  be  found  in  Christ,  depending  solely  upon 
what  he  has  done  and  suffered  as  the  ground  of 
our  acceptance  with  God.  Those  who  thus  be- 
lieve, have  passed  from  death  unto  life;    they 


214  FAITH. 

are  no  longer  under  condemnation ;  they  have 
peace  with  God,  and  rejoice  in  hope  of  his  glory. 
As  this  faith  unites  them  with  Christ,  it  makes 
them  not  only  partakers  of  his  death,  but  of  his 
life.  The  Holy  Spirit,  given  without  measure 
to  him,  is  through  him  given  unto  them,  and 
works  in  them  the  fruits  of  holiness,  which  are 
unto  the  praise  and  glory  of  God. 


REPENTANCE.  215 


CHAPTER  YII. 

Clearly  as  the  Scriptures  teach  that  whoso- 
ever believes  shall  be  saved,  they  teach  no  less 
clearly  that  except  we  repent  we  shall  all  perish. 
These  graces  are  not  only  alike  indispensable, 
but  they  cannot  exist  separately.  Repentance 
is  a  turning  from  sin  unto  God,  through  Jesus 
Christ,  and  fiiith  is  the  acceptance  of  Christ  in 
order  to  our  return  to  God.  Repentance  is  the 
act  of  a  believer ;  and  faith  is  the  act  of  a  peni- 
tent. So  that  whoever  believes  repents;  and 
whoever  repents  believes. 

The  primary  and  simple  meaning  of  the  word 
commonly  used  in  the  New  Testament  to  ex- 
jDress  the  idea  of  repentance,  is  a  change  of  mind, 
as  the  result  of  reflection.  In  this  sense  it  is  said, 
There  is  no  repentance  with  God.  He  is  not  a 
man  that  he  should  repent.  In  the  same  sense 
it  is  said,  that  Esau  found  no  place  for  repent- 
ance, when  he  was  unable  to  effect  a  change  in 
the  determination  of  his  father.  In  the  ordinary 
religious  sense  of  the  term,  it  is  a  turning  from 
sin  unto  God.  This  is  the  account  commonly 
given  of  it  in  the  word  of  God.     I  thought  upon 


216  REPENTANCE. 

my  ways,  said  the  Psalmist,  and  turned  my  feet 
unto  thy  testimonies.*  When  the  wicked  man 
turneth  away  from  his  wickedness  that  he  hath 
committed,  and  doeth  that  which  is  lawful  and 
right,  he  shall  save  his  soul  alive.f  Let  the 
wicked  forsake  his  way,  and  the  unrighteous 
man  his  thoughts,  and  let  him  return  unto  the 
Lord,  and  he  will  have  mercy  upon  him,  and  to 
our  God,  for  he  will  abundantly  pardon.J  And 
Solomon,  in  his  prayer  at  the  dedication  of  the 
temple,  said.  If  the  people  shall  bethink  them- 
selves in  the  land  whither  they  were  carried 
captives,  and  repent  and  make  supplication  unto 
thee,  saying.  We  have  sinned  and  done  per- 
versely, we  have  committed  wickedness,  and  so 
return  unto  thee  with  all  their  heart  and  with 
all  their  soul;  then  hear  thou  their  prayer  and 
their  supplication  in  heaven  thy  dwelling  place, 
and  maintain  their  cause. §  To  repent,  then,  is 
to  turn  from  sin  unto  God.  But  as  there  is  a 
repentance  which  has  no  connection  with  salva- 
tion, it  becomes  us  to  search  the  Scriptures,  that 
we  may  learn  the  characteristics  of  that  repent- 
ance which  is  unto  life. 

As  conviction  of  sin  is  an  essential  part  of 
repentance,  and  as  that  point  has  already  been 
considered,  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  dwell  long 
upon   this   general   subject.       The   prominence, 

*  Ps.  cxix.  59.  t  Ezek.  xviii.  27. 

$  Isa.  Iv.  7.  U  Kings  viii.  47-49. 


REPENTANCE.  217 

however,  given  to  it  in  the  Scriptures,  and  the 
large  space  which  it  occupies  in  the  experience 
of  Christians,  demand  that  the  nature  of  this 
turning  from  sin,  which  is  so  often  enjoined, 
should  be  carefully  studied. 

There  is  one  general  truth  in  relation  to  this 
point  which  is  clearly  taught  in  the  Bible ;  and 
that  is,  that  all  true  repentance  springs  from 
right  views  of  God.  The  language  of  Job  may, 
w4th  more  or  less  confidence,  be  adopted  by 
every  Christian :  I  have  heard  of  thee  by  the 
hearing  of  the  ear,  but  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee; 
wherefore  I  abhor  myself,  and  repent  in  dust 
and  ashes.* 

The  discovery  of  the  justice  of  God  serves  to 
awaken  conscience,  and  often  produces  a  fearful 
looking  for  of  judgment  and  fiery  indignation. 
This  is  the  natural  and  reasonable  effect  of  a 
clear  apprehension  of  the  rectitude  of  the  divine 
character,  as  of  a  judge  who  renders  to  every 
one  his  due.  There  are  accordingly  many  illus- 
trations of  the  effects  of  this  apprehension  re- 
corded in  the  Scriptures.  Tearfulness  and  trem- 
bling, said  the  Psalmist,  are  come  upon  me ;  and^ 
horror  hath  overwhelmed  me.f  While  I  suffer 
thy  terrors  I  am  distracted.  Thy  fierce  wrath 
goeth  over  me.  Thy  terrors  have  cut  me  oft'.J 
There  is  no  rest  in  my  bones  because  of  my  sin. 
For  my  iniquities  are  gone  over  my  head,  as  a 


*  Job  xlii.  5,  6.  t  Ps-  Iv.  5.  J  Ps.  Ixxxviii.  15, 16. 

19 


218  REPENTANCE. 

heavy  burden  they  are  too  heavy  for  me.* 
These  fearful  forebodings  are  so  common  in  the 
experience  of  the  people  of  God,  that  the  ear- 
lier writers  make  terror  of  conscience  a  promi- 
nent part  of  repentance.  There  are,  however, 
two  remarks  upon  this  subject,  which  should  be 
borne  in  mind.  The  first  is,  that  these  exercises 
vary  in  degree  from  the  intolerable  anguish  of 
despair  to  the  calm  conviction  of  the  judgment 
that  we  are  justly  exposed  to  the  displeasure  of 
God.  And  secondly,  that  there  is  nothing  dis- 
criminating in  these  terrors  of  conscience.  They 
are  experienced  by  the  righteous  and  the  un- 
righteous. If  they  occurred  in  the  repentance 
of  David,  they  did  also  in  that  of  Judas.  Sin- 
ners in  Zion  are  often  afraid ;  and  fearfulness 
often  surprises  the  hypocrite.  These  fearful 
apprehensions,  therefore,  are  not  to  be  desired 
for  their  own  sake ;  since  there  is  nothing  good 
in  fear.  It  is  reasonable  that  those  should  fear 
who  refuse  to  rej^ent  and  to  accept  of  the,  offers 
of  mercy.  But  there  is  nothing  reasonable  in 
those  fears  which  arise  from  unbelief,  or  distrust 
of  the  promises  of  God.  It  so  often  happens, 
however,  in  the  experience  of  the  people  of  God, 
that  they  are  made  sensible  of  their  guilt  and 
danger  before  they  have  any  clear  apprehensions 
of  the  ]Aan  of  redemption,  that,  in  fact,  fear  of 
the  wrath  of  God  enters  largely  into  the  feelings 

*  Ps.  xxxviii.  3,  4, 


REPENTANCE.  219 

which  characterize  their  conversion.  The  appre- 
hension of  the  holiness  of  God  produces  awe. 
The  angels  in  heaven  are  represented  as  veiling 
their  faces,  and  bowing  with  reverence  before 
the  Holy  One.  Something  of  the  same  feeling 
must  be  excited  in  the  minds  of  men  by  the  dis- 
covery of  His  infinite  purity.  It  cannot  fail,  no 
matter  what  may  be  the  state  of  his  mind,  to 
excite  'awe.  This,  however,  may  be  mingled 
with  love,  and  express  itself  in  adoration ;  or  it 
may  co-exist  with  hatred,  and  express  itself  in 
blasphemy.  Very  often  the  effect  is  simply  awe, 
(or  at  least  this  is  the  prominent  emotion,)  and 
the  soul  is  led  to  prostrate  itself  in  the  dust. 
The  moral  character  of  this  emotion  can  only 
be  determined  by  observing  whether  it  is  at- 
tended with  complacency  in  the  contemplation 
of  infinite  purity,  and  with  a  desire  of  larger 
and  more  constant  discoveries  of  it ;  or  whether 
it  produces  uneasiness  and  a  desire  that  the 
vision  may  be  withdrawn,  and  we  be  allowed  to 
remain  at  ease  in  our  darkness. 

In  the  next  place,  this  discovery  of  the  holi- 
ness of  God  cannot  fail  to  produce  a  sense  of 
our  own  unworthiness.  It  is  in  his  light  that 
w^e  see  light.  It  is  by  the  apprehension  of  his 
excellence  that  we  learn  our  own  vileness.  And 
as  no  man  can  be  aware  that  he  appears  vile  in 
the  sight  of  others,  without  a  sense  of  shame, 
w^e  find  that  this  emotion  is  described  as  being 
one  of  the  most  uniform  attendants  upon  repent- 


220  REPENTANCE. 

aiice.  Thus  Ezra,  in  his  penitential  prayer, 
says,  0  my  God  !  I  am  ashamed  and  blush  to 
lift  up  my  face  to  thee,  my  God ;  for  our  ini- 
quities are  increased  over  our  head,  and  our 
trespass  is  grown  up  unto  the  heavens.*  Daniel 
'  -^presses  the  same  feeling  when  he  says,  0 
•ord,  righteousness  belongeth  unto  thee,  but 
unto  us  confusion  of  faces,  as  at  this  day.f  And 
God,  when  describing  the  restoration  of  his  peo- 
ple, even  w^hen  assuring  them  of  pardon,  says, 
Thou  shalt  know  that  I  am  the  Lord,  that  thou 
mayest  remember,  and  be  confounded,  and  never 
open  thy  mouth  any  more  because  of  thy  shame, 
w^hen  I  am  pacified  tow\ard  thee,  for  all  that  thou 
hast  done,  saith  the  Lord  God.J 

As  the  consciousness  of  unworthiness,  when 
w^e  think  of  others,  produces  shame,  so,  when  we 
think  of  ourselves,  it  produces  self-abhorrence. 
This  latter  feeling,  therefore,  also  enters  into 
the  nature  of  true  repentance.  In  the  strong 
language  of  the  suffering  patriarch  already 
quoted,  the  sinner  abhors  himself  and  repents 
in  dust  and  ashes.  In  another  passage  the 
same  distinguished  servant  of  God  says,  Behold 
I  am  vile ;  what  shall  I  answer  thee  ?  I  wull 
lay  my  hand  upon  my  mouth. §  And  the  pro- 
phet, describing  the  repentance  of  the  people, 
says,  Ye  shall  remember  your  ways  and  all  your 

*  Ezra  ix.  6.  f  Dan.  ix.  7. 

t  Ezek.  xvi.  62,  63.     •  §  Job  xl,  4. 


REPENTANCE.  221 

doings,  wherein  ye  have  been  defiled ;  and  ye 
shall  loathe  yourselves  in  your  own  sight,  for 
all  the  evil  that  ye  have  committed/^  It  is  not 
the  strength,  but  the  nature  of  these  feelings, 
which  determines  the  character  of  our  repent- 
ance. Their  nature  is  the  same  in  all  true  peni- 
tents 3  their  strength  varies  in  every  particular 
case.  In  all,  however,  the  sense  of  sin  destroys 
that  self-complacency  with  which  sinners  soothe 
themselves,  thanking  God  they  are  not  as  other 
men.  It  humbles  them  before  God,  and  places 
them  in  the  position  which  he  would  have  them 
occupy.  To  this  man  will  I  look,  saith  the 
Lord,  even  to  him  that  is  poor  and  of  a  contrite 
spirit  and  trembleth  at  my  word.f  With  such 
a  soul  God  condescends  to  take  up  his  abode. 
For  thus  saith  the  High  and  Lofty  One  who 
inhabiteth  eternity,  whose  name  is  Holy :  I 
dwell  in  the  high  and  holy  place,  wdth  him  also 
who  is  of  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit,  to  revive 
the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the  heart 
of  the  contrite  ones.t 

This  humbling  sense  of  our  unworthiness, 
which  produces  true  contrition  and  self-abase- 
ment, is  essential  to  repentance.  Most  men  are 
willing  to  acknowledge  themselves  to  be  sinners; 
but  they  are  at  the  same  time  disposed  to  ex- 
tenuate their  guilt;  to  think  they  are  as  good  as 
could  be  reasonably  expected ;  that  the  law  of 


*  Ezek.  XX.  43.  f  Isa.  Ixvi.  2.  J  Isa.  Ivii.  15. 

19* 


222  REPENTANCE. 

God  demands  too  mucli  of  beings  so  frail  as 
man,  and  that  it  would  be  unjust  to  visit  their 
deficiencies  with  any  severe  punishment.  The 
change  which  constitutes  repentance  destroys 
this  disposition  to  self-justification.  The  soul 
bows  down  before  God  under  the  consciousness 
of  inexcusable  guilt.  It  stands  self-condemned, 
and,  instead  of  regarding  God  as  a  hard  master, 
it  acknowledges  that  he  is  righteous  in  all  his 
demands,  and  in  all  his  judgments.  Such  were 
the  feelings  of  David,  when  he  said,  I  acknow- 
ledge my  transgressions,  and  my  sin  is  ever  be- 
fore me.  Aganist  thee,  thee  only  have  I  sinned, 
and  done  this  evil  in  thy  sight,  that  thou  might- 
est  be  justified  when  thou  speakest,  and  be  clear 
when  thou  judgest.*  The  same  feeling  is  ex- 
pressed by  Ezra :  0  Lord  God  of  Israel,  thou 
art  righteous  ....  behold,  we  are  before  thee 
in  our  trespasses,  for  we  cannot  stand  before 
thee  because  of  this.f  And  Nehemiah  uses 
language  to  the  same  effect :  Thou  art  just  in 
all  that  is  brought  upon  us ;  for  thou  hast  done 
right,  but  we  have  done  wickedly.J  There 
can,  therefore,  be  no  true  repentance  without 
this  contrite  spirit  of  self-condemnation  and 
abasement. 

The  confession  of  sin,  on  which  the  Scriptures 
lay  so  much  stress,  is  the  outward  expression  of 
this  inward  sense  of  ill-desert.     It  is  not  enough 

*Ps.li.4.  fEzraix.  15.  JNeh.  ix.33. 


RErENTANCE.  223 

that  we  should  secretly  condemn  ourselves.  God 
requires  a  full  and  ingenuous  confession  of  our 
sins.  And  this  our  own  hearts  will  prompt  us 
to  make.  As  there  is  no  desire  in  the  penitent 
to  extenuate  his  guilt,  so  there  is  no  disposition 
to  conceal  it.  On  the  contrary,  the  soul  is 
anxious  to  acknowledge  every  thing;  to  take 
shame  to  itself,  and  to  justify  God.  We  accord- 
ingly find  that  a  large  part  of  the  penitential 
portions  of  the  Scriptures  is  taken  up  in  re- 
cording the  confessions  of  the  people  of  God. 
When  I  kept  silence,  said  the  Psalmist,  my 
bones  waxed  old  through  my  roaring  all  the  day 
long.  For  day  and  night  thy  hand  was  heavy 
upon  me;  my  moisture  is  turned  into  the 
drought  of  summer.  I  acknowledged  my  sin 
unto  thee,  and  mine  iniquity  have  I  not  hid. 
I  said,  I  will  confess  my  transgressions  unto  the 
Lord;  and  thou  forgavest  the  iniquity  of  my 
sin.*  So  long  as  he  attempted  to  conceal  his 
guilt,  he  found  no  relief;  the  hand  of  God  con- 
tinued to  press  heavily  upon  him ;  but  when  he 
acknowledged  his  transgressions,  he  obtained 
forgiveness.  The  wise  man  therefore  says.  He 
that  covereth  his  sins  shall  not  prosper;  but 
whoso  confesseth  and  forsaketh  them,  shall  have 
mercy .f  The  New  Testament  is  equally  expli- 
cit as  to  this  part  of  our  duty.  If  we  say  that 
we  have  no  sin,  we  deceive  ourselves,  and  the 

*  Ps.  xxxii.  3-5.  t  Pi'ov.  xxviii.  13. 


224  REPENTANCE. 

truth  is  not  in  ns  If  we  confess  our  sins,  he 
is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and 
to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness.* 

This  confession  must  be  made  to  the  person 
against  whom  we  have  sinned.  If  we  have  sin- 
ned against  our  fellow-men,  we  must  confess  to 
them.  If  we  have  sinned  against  the  church, 
we  must  confess  to  the  church ;  and  if  we  have 
sinned  against  God,  our  confession  must  be  made 
to  God.  The  Old  Testament,  in  commanding 
restitution  in  case  of  injury  done  to  our  neigh- 
bour, thereby  commanded  acknowledgment  to 
be  made  to  the  injured  party.  And  in  the  New 
Testament  we  are  required  to  confess  our  faults 
one  to  another. f  As,  however,  all  our  sins  are 
committed  against  God,  it  is  to  him  that  our 
confessions  are  to  be  principally  made ;  for  even 
in  those  cases  in  which  we  sin  against  men,  we, 
in  a  still  higher  sense,  sin  against  God.  Our 
sense  of  guilt  in  his  sight,  therefore,  will  pre- 
vail over  the  sense  of  our  injustice  to  those 
whom  we  have  offended.  Thus  David,  though 
he  had,  in  the  most  grievous  manner,  sinned 
against  his  neighbour,  was  so  affected  with  the 
enormity  of  his  sin  as  committed  against  God, 
that  he  said.  Against  thee,  thee  only  have  I 
sinned  and  done  this  evil  in  thy  sight.J  In 
the  inspired  records  of  penitential  sorrow,  w^e 
accordingly   find    that   confession    is    constantly 

*  1  John  i.  8,  9.  f  James  v.  16.  J  Ps.  li.  4. 


REPENTANCE.  225 

made  to  God.  Let  thine  ear  now,  said  Nelie- 
niiah,  be  attentive  and  thine  eyes  open,  that 
thou  mayest  hear  the  prayer  of  thy  servant 
which  I  pray  before  thee,  now  day  and  night, 
for  the  children  of  Israel  thy  servants,  and  con- 
fess the  sins  of  the  children  of  Israel  which  we 
have  sinned  against  thee;  both  I  and  my  father's 
house  have  sinned,  and  have  dealt  very  corruptly 
against  thee,  have  not  kept  the  commandments 
or  the  statutes,  nor  the  judgments  which  thou 
commandedst  thy  servant  Moses.  Indeed  the 
greater  portion  of  the  remarkable  prayers  of 
Daniel,  Ezra,  and  Nehemiah,  which  form  the 
most  authentic  record  of  the  exercises  of  genuine 
repentance,  is  taken  up  with  confessions  of  sin ; 
which  shows  how  essential  such  confession  is  to 
the  proper  discharge  of  this  duty.  No  man, 
therefore,  whose  heart  does  not  lead  him  freely, 
fully  and  humbly  to  acknowledge  his  sin  before 
God,  can  have  any  satisfactory  evidence  that  he 
truly  repents. 

There  is  indeed  a  confession  which  remorse 
extorts  from  the  lips  of  those  whose  hearts  know 
nothing  of  that  godly  sorrow  which  is  unto  lifo. 
Thus  Judas  went  to  his  accomplices  in  treachery 
and  said,  I  have  sinned  in  that  I  have  betrayed 
the  innocent  blood;  and  then  went  and  hanged 
himself  This,  however,  is  very  difierent  from 
that  ingenuous  acknowledgment  of  sin  which 
flows  from  a  broken   spirit,  and   which   is   the 


226  REPENTANCE. 

more  full  and  free,  the  stronger  the  assurance  of 
forgiveness. 

Though  the  Scriptures  plainly  teach  that  in 
all  true  repentance  there  is  a  sense  of  sin,  self 
loathing,  self-condemnation,  sorrow  and  confes- 
sion, yet  such  is  the  poverty  of  human  language, 
that  these  very  terms  may  be,  nay,  must  be, 
employed  to  express  the  exercises  of  those  who 
do  not  truly  repent.  It  is  said  of  Judas  that  he 
repented;  and  we  cannot  doubt  that  his  repent- 
ance included  a  conviction  of  guilt,  sorrow,  self- 
abhorrence  and  confession.  Yet  all  this  was 
nothing  more  than  the  operation  of  that  impeni- 
tent remorse  which  often  drives  men  to  despair, 
and  which  serves  to  feed  the  fire  that  never 
shall  be  quenched.  Although  we  are  forced  to 
describe  the  exercises  which  attend  the  sorrow 
of  the  world,  and  those  which  accompany  the 
sorrow  which  is  of  God,  by  the  same  terms,  they 
are  nevertheless  essentially  different  in  their 
nature.  There  is  a  gleam  of  hope  and  a  glow 
of  love  pervading  the  exercises  of  the  true 
penitent,  which  impart  to  all  his  exercises  a 
peculiarity  of  character,  and  cause  them  to  pro- 
duce effects  specifically  different  from  those 
which  flow  from  despairing  remorse,  or  the  agi- 
tations of  an  awakened  conscience.  His  views 
of  the  justice  and  holiness  of  God  produce,  not 
only  a  conviction  of  sin  and  sorrow  for  having 
committed  it,  but  also  an  earnest  desire  to  be 
delivered  from  it  as  the  greatest  of  all  evils,  and 


REPENTANCE.  227 

an  anxious  longing  after  conformity  to  the  image 
of  God  as  the  greatest  of  all  blessings.  The 
repentance  of  the  ungodly  consists  in  the  opera- 
tions of  conscience  combined  with  fear;  the  re- 
pentance of  the  godly,  of  the  operations  of  con- 
science combined  with  love.  The  one  is  the 
sorrow  of  the  malefactor ;  the  other,  the  sorrow 
of  a  child.  The  one  tends  to  despair  and  oppo- 
sition to  God;  the  other  to  hope  and  a  desire 
after  his  favour.  Both  may  lead  to  obedience; 
but  the  obedience  in  the  one  case  is  slavish;  in 
the  other,  filial.  In  the  one  case  it  is  mere 
penance ;  in  the  other,  it  is  repentance. 

The  circumstance  which,  perhaps,  most  per- 
ceptibly distinguishes  true  repentance  from  mere 
conviction  and  remorse,  is,  that  the  former  is 
attended  with  an  apprehension  of  the  mercy  of 
God.  The  ungodly  may  see  by  the  light  of  con- 
science and  of  the  divine  law,  that  their  sins  are 
exceedingly  great.  They  may  be  filled  with 
terror  from  the  apprehension  of  divine  justice, 
and  even  humbled  and  confounded  under  a  view 
of  the  infinite  holiness  of  God  and  of  their  own 
vileness,  but  there  is  no  sense  of  forgiving  mercy, 
no  apprehension  of  the  divine  favour.  Instead, 
therefore,  of  turning  toward  God,  they  turn  from 
him.  After  the  exam]3le  of  Adam,  they  would 
gladly  hide  themselves  from  his  presence.  And 
so  terrible,  at  times,  is  that  presence,  that  they 
madly  seek  a  refuge  from  it  in  the  darkness  of 
the  grave,  or  call  upon  the  rocks  and  the  moun- 


228  REPENTANCE. 

tains  to  cover  them.  This  is  the  sorrow  which 
worketh  death.  Bat  in  every  case  of  real  turn- 
ing unto  God,  there  is  more  or  less  distinct 
apprehension  of  his  mercy.  This  may  be  so 
feeble  as  only  to  enable  the  soul  to  say,  Though 
he  slay  me,  yet  I  will  trust  in  him;  or,  Who 
knoweth  if  he  will  return  and  repent  and  leave 
a  blessing  behind  him?*  or,  to  adopt  the  lan- 
guage of  David,  If  I  shall  find  favour  in  the 
eyes  of  the  Lord,  he  will  bring  me  again.  But 
if  he  thus  say,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  him;  be- 
hold here  am  I,  let  him  do  to  me  as  seemeth 
good  unto  him.f  This,  however,  is  sufficient  to 
turn  fear  into  hope,  and  rebellion  into  submission. 
It  may  be  that  the  hope  which  saves  the  soul 
from  sinking  into  despair,  and  which  prevents  it 
from  turning  from  God.  in  aggravated  opposition, 
is,  at  times,  nothing  more  than  a  conviction  that 
he  is  merciful,  without  any  distinct  apprehension 
of  the  way  in  which  his  mercy  can  be  exercised, 
or  any  confident  persuasion  of  our  own  accept- 
ance. Still  the  soul  believes  that  he  is  the 
Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious,  long- 
suffering  and  abundant  in  goodness  and  truth.J 
It  has  courage  to  adopt  the  language  of  the 
Psalmist:  Thou  God  art  good  and  ready  to  for- 
give; and  plenteous  in  mercy  to  all  those  that 
call  upon  thee.§     In  all  the  records  of  penitence, 


*  Joel  ii.  14.  t  2  Sam.  xv.  25,  26. 

i  Ex.  xxxiv.  6.  I  Ps.  Ixxxvi.  5. 


REPENTANCE.  229 

therefore,  contained  in  the  Scriptures,  we  find 
the  recognition  of  the  divine  goodness  as  the 
great  operative  principle  in  turning  the  soul 
unto  God.  Thus  Nehemiah  says.  Thou  art  a 
God  ready  to  pardon,  gracious  and  merciful,  slow 
to  anger,  and  of  great  kindness."^  And  the  pro- 
phet presents  this  consideration  as  the  great 
motive  to  those  whom  he  calls  to  repentance: 
Rend  your  hearts  and  not  your  garments,  and 
turn  unto  the  Lord  your  God;  for  he  is  gracious 
and  repenteth  him  of  evil.f 

But  inasmuch  as  there  can  be  no  confidence 
of  forgiving  mercy,  which  is  not  founded  on  the 
revelation  of  the  purpose  of  God,  and  as  there 
is  no  revelation  of  a  purpose  to  pardon  except 
through  the  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ,  so,  how- 
ever indistinct  may  be,  at  times,  the  view  which 
the  soul  takes  of  the  plan  of  salvation,  there 
must  still  be  a  reference  to  the  Saviour  in  all 
authorized  expectations  of  mercy.  The  penitent 
may  not  know  how  God  can  be  just  and  yet  the 
justifier  of  sinners,  and  yet  be  persuaded  not 
only  that  he  is  merciful,  but  that  he  has  found  a 
ransom,  and  can  consistently  save  us  from  going 
down  into  the  pit.  Doubtless,  however,  under 
the  light  of  the  gospel,  it  is  far  more  common 
that  the  soul  sees  all  that  it  discovers  of  the 
mercy  of  God  and  of  the  possibility  of  pardon 
in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.     It  is  in  him  that 


*  Neb.  ix.  17.  f  Joel  ii.  13. 

20 


230  REPENTANCE. 

God  has  revealed  himself  as  reconciled  unto  the 
world,  not  imputing  unto  men  their  trespasses. 
It  is  because  he  was  made  sin  for  us,  that  we 
can  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  him. 
All  evangelical  hope  rests  on  the  assurance,  that 
though  we  have  sinned,  we  have  an  advocate 
with  the  Father,  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous,  who 
is  the  propitiation  for  our  sins.  This  is  the  hope 
which  is  effectual  in  winning  the  soul  back  to 
God.  It  is  the  discovery  of  the  love  of  God  in 
giving  his  own  Son,  that  whosoever  believes  on 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  eternal  life.  It 
is  this  that  breaks  the  hard  heart,  revealing  to  it 
the  exceeding  turpitude  of  its  sins,  and  at  the 
same  time  disclosing  the  readiness  of  God  freely 
to  forrive  those  who  come  to  him  throuo^h 
Christ.  It  is  therefore  not  so  much  the  threat- 
enings  of  the  law,  as  the  apprehension  of  the 
love  of  God,  which  turns  the  sinner  from  his 
rebellion,  and  draws  him  back  to  submission  and 
obedience.  All  repentance  without  this  is  legal 
and  slavish.  It  is  such  as  that  of  Pharaoh,  or 
Judas,  or  of  the  thousands  whom  an  awakened 
conscience  and  fear  of  wrath  drive  from  their 
former  sins,  and  force  to  walk  in  clanking  chains 
along  a  mistaken  road  in  search  of  heaven. 
This  is  the  only  repentance  which  conscience 
and  the  apprehension  of  divine  justice  can  pro- 
duce. A  soul  cannot  approach  an  unreconciled 
God,  any  more  than  it  can  embrace  a  consuming 
fire.     A  sense  of  the  favour  of  God,  or  a  hope 


REPENTANCE.  231 

ill  his  mercy,  is  essential  to  our  returning  to  him 
M'ith  confidence  and  love. 

There  is  indeed  a  belief  in  the  mercy  of  God 
which,  instead  of  leading  men  to  repentance, 
encourages  them  to  continue  in  sin.  This  is  a 
belief  which  arises  out  of  ignorance.  It  is 
founded  on  a  misapprehension  of  the  character 
of  God.  It  is  easy  for  those  who  know  nothing 
of  the  divine  holiness  and  justice,  and  who  look 
upon  sin  as  a  misfortune  or  a  trifle,  to  believe 
that  God  will  not  be  severe  to  mark  iniquity. 
To  such  persons  the  mercy  of  God  seems  a 
matter  of  course;  restricting  its  offers  to  no 
class  of  men,  but  covering  with  its  mantle  the 
sins  of  the  penitent  and  of  the  reprobate.  As 
they  see  no  reason  why  God  should  not  forgive, 
they  easily  hope  in  his  mercy.  But  when  their 
eyes  are  opened  to  his  immaculate  purity  which 
forbids  his  looking  on  sin  with  allowance ;  to  his 
justice  which  forbids  him  to  spare  the  guilty;  to 
the  strictness  of  his  law  and  to  the  fearfulness 
of  its  penalty;  when  conscience  is  aroused  and 
adds  its  sanction  to  the  judgment  of  God,  in  a 
voice  whose  authority  and  power  can  neither  be 
questioned  nor  evaded,  then  these  hopes  of 
mercy  are  seen  to  be  as  the  spider's  web.  They 
are  swept  away  in  a  moment,  and  the  difficulty 
now  is,  to  believe  that  pardon,  once  thought  so 
certain,  is  even  possible.  Hence  the  assurances 
that  God  is  plenteous  in  mercy  and  ready  to  for- 
give are  so  numerous  and  earnest  in  the  Scrip- 


232  REPENTANCE. 

tures.  Hence  the  way  in  which  mercy  can 
be  exercised,  consistently  with  those  attributes 
which  are  seen  to  enter  into  the  essential  excel- 
lence of  God,  is  so  clearly  set  forth.  Hence  the 
invitations,  the  promises,  yea,  even  the  oath  of 
God,  are  given  to  beget  hope  in  the  mind  of  the 
convinced  and  humble  sinner.  It  is  not  the 
whole,  but  the  sick,  who  need  the  physician; 
and  it  is  not  for  the  careless,  who  feel  no  need 
of  pardon,  but  for  the  anxious,  who  fear  that 
there  is  scarcely  room  for  mercy,  that  these 
assurances  are  given. 

It  is  not,  therefore,  that  hope  of  mercy  which 
springs  from  ignorance  and  indifference,  which 
is  operative  in  the  work  of  repentance,  but  that 
which  is  founded  upon  the  promises  of  God  em- 
braced by  faith.  It  is  an  enlightened  hope. 
The  soul,  in  entertaining  it,  knows  something 
of  the  difficulties  in  the  way  of  pardon,  and 
something  of  the  method  in  which  mercy  can 
be  consistently  exercised.  Such  a  hope  is  not 
a  matter  of  course ;  nor  is  it  an  easy  attainment. 
The  sense  of  sin,  the  testimony  of  conscience, 
the  holiness  of  God,  the  honour  of  his  law,  are 
all  apparently  opposed  to  any  reasonable  expec- 
tation of  forgiveness.  And  therefore,  although 
the  declarations  of  Scripture  are  so  explicit  on 
the  subject,  it  often  happens  that  the  awakened 
sinner  feels,  that  though  these  declarations  may 
be  true  in  reference  to  others,  they  cannot  be 
true  as  it  regards  himself.     And  when  the  good- 


REPEXTANCE.  233 

ness  of  God  is  revealed  to  him ;  when  he  sees 
the  divine  love  surmounting  all  difficulties,  no 
shipwrecked  mariner  surrounded  by  darkness 
and  tossed  by  tempests,  hails  with  greater  joy 
the  break  of  day  than  does  such  a  soul  the  reve- 
lation of  divine  mercy.  It  is  not  joy  merely ;  it 
is  wonder,  gratitude  and  love  that  take  posses- 
sion of  his  soul,  and  fill  him  with  the  purpose  of 
living  devoted  to  God  his  Kedeemer.  It  is  this 
hope  which  gives  new  life  to  the  soul,  and  ac- 
complishes its  return  from  the  service  of  sin  to 
the  service  of  God. 

Hope  in  the  mercy  of  God  being  thus  import- 
ant, it  is  the  great  design  of  the  Bible  to  reveal 
the  love  of  God  to  sinners,  in  order  to  bring 
them  back  from  their  apostasy.  The  sacred 
volume  is  full  of  instruction  on  this  important 
su?jject.  Every  command  to  repent  implies  a 
readiness  on  the  part  of  God  to  forgive.  Every 
institution  of  divine  worship  implies  that  God 
is  willing  to  receive  those  who  return  to  him. 
Every  instance  of  pardon  mentioned  in  the  Bible 
is  left  on  record  to  show  that  there  is  forgiveness 
w^ith  God  that  he  may  be  feared.  With  the  same 
view  he  has  given  those  declarations  of  his  mer- 
cy, long-suffering  and  love,  with  which  the  Scrip- 
tures abound.  And  above  all,  for  this  purpose 
has  he  set  forth  his  Son  as  a  propitiation  for  our 
sins,  that  we  may  see  not  only  that  he  is  merci- 
ful, but  how  he  can  be  merciful  and  yet  just. 

These  ofiers  of  mercy  are  made  to  all  who  hear 

20* 


234  REPENTANCE. 

the  gospel,  even  to  those  whose  sins  are  as  sear- 
let,  or  red  like  crimson ;  and  none  lose  the  bene- 
fit of  them  who  do  not  voluntarily  and  wickedly 
reject  them;  either  carelessly  supposing  that 
they  need  no  forgiveness,  or  unbelievingly  refus- 
ing to  accept  of  pardon  on  the  only  terms  on 
which  it  can  be  granted. 

That  repentance,  therefore,  which  is  unto  life, 
is  a  turning ;  not  a  being  driven  away  from  sin 
by  fear  and  stress  of  conscience,  but  a  forsaking 
it  as  evil  and  hateful,  with  sincere  sorrow,  humi- 
lity and  confession ;  and  a  returning  unto  God, 
because  he  is  good  and  willing  to  forgive,  with  a 
determination  to  live  in  obedience  to  his  com- 
mandments. 

There  are  but  two  ways  in  which  we  can 
judge  of  the  genuineness  of  this  change.  The 
one  is  the  comparison  of  our  inward  experience 
with  the  word  of  God ;  the  other  the  observation 
of  its  effects.  As  every  man  is  conscious  of  his 
own  feelings,  attention  and  comparison  will  gene- 
rally enable  him  to  ascertain  their  character. 
He  may  tell  whether  he  has  had  such  views  of 
the  justice  and  holiness  of  God  as  to  produce  a 
conviction  of  his  own  sinfulness  and  ill-desert; 
whether  he  has  been  forced  to  give  up  his  self- 
complacency,  and  to  feel  that  disapprobation  of 
his  character  and  conduct,  which  leads  the  soul 
to  confess  with  shame  and  sorrow  its  guilt  and 
pollution  in  the  sight  of  God.  He  may  tell 
whether  he  has  had  such  apprehensions  of  the 


REPENTANCE.  235 

mercy  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ  as  to  induce  him 
to  return  to  his  heavenly  Father,  with  a  strong 
desire  after  his  favour,  and  with  a  firm  deter- 
mination to  live  to  his  glory.  These  are  the 
exercises  which  constitute  repentance,  and  he 
w4io  is  conscious  of  them  may  know  that  he  is 
turned  from  death  unto  life. 

As,  however,  true  self-knowledge  is  the  most 
difficult  of  all  attainments ;  and  as  the  feelings, 
unless  unusually  strong,  are  hard  to  be  detected 
in  their  true  nature,  the  surest  test  of  the  cha- 
racter of  any  supposed  change  of  heart  is  to  be 
found  in  its  permanent  effects.  By  their  fruits 
ye  shall  know  them,  is  a  declaration  as  appli- 
cable to  the  right  method  of  judging  of  ourselves 
as  of  others.  Whatever,  therefore,  may  have 
been  our  inward  experience ;  whatever  joy  or 
sorrow  we  may  have  felt,  unless  we  bring  forth 
fruits  meet  for  repentance,  our  experience  will 
profit  us  nothing.  Our  repentance  needs  to  be 
repented  of,  unless  it  leads  us  to  confession  and 
restitution  in  cases  of  private  injury;  unless  it 
causes  us  to  forsake  not  merely  outward  sins, 
which  attract  the  notice  of  others,  but  those 
w^hich  lie  concealed  in  the  heart;  unless  it 
makes  us  choose  the  service  of  God,  as  that 
which  is  right  and  congenial,  and  causes  us  to 
live  not  for  ourselves,  but  for  him  who  loved  us 
and  gave  himself  for  us. 

There  is  no  duty  the  necessity  of  which  is 
either  more  obvious  in  itself,  or  more  frequently 


236  REPENTANCE. 

asserted  in  the  word  of  God,  than  that  of  repent- 
ance.     Nature  itself  teaches  us  that  when  we 
have  done  wrong,  we  should  be  sorry  for  it,  and 
turn  away  from  the  evil.     Every  man  feels  that 
this  is   a   reasonable   expectation   in    regard  to 
those  who  have   offended   him.      Every  parent 
especially  looks  with  anxiety  for  the  repentance 
of  a  disobedient  child ;  and  he  considers  nothing 
worthy  of  the  name  but  sincere  sorrow  and  a 
return  to  affectionate  obedience.     No  man  need 
wonder,  therefore,  that  God,  who   requires  no- 
thing but  what   is  right,  and  who  can  require 
nothing  less,  commands  all  men  everywhere  to 
repent.      The   salvation    offered   in  the   gospel, 
though  it  be  a  salvation  of  sinners,  is  also  a  sal- 
vation from  sin.     The  heaven  which  it  promises 
is  a  heaven  of  holiness.     The  rivers  of  pleasure 
which  flow  from  the  right  hand  of  God,  are  filled 
with  the  pure  waters  of  life.    No  man,  therefore, 
can  be  saved,  who  does  not,  by  repentance,  for- 
sake his  sins.     This  is  itself  a  great  part  of  sal- 
vation.    The  inward  change  of  heart  from  the 
love  and  service  of  sin,  to  the  love  and  service 
of  God,  is  the  great  end  of  the  death  of  Christ, 
who  gave  himself  for  his  church,  that  he  might 
sanctify  and   cleanse   it   with   the   washing   of 
water,  by  the  word,  that  he  might  present  it  to 
himself  a  glorious  church,  not  having  spot,  or 
wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing ;  but  that  it  should 
be  holy  and  without  blemish.     A  salvation  for 


REPENTANCE.  237 

sinners,  therefore,  without  repentance,  is  a  con- 
tradiction. 

Hence  it  is  that  repentance  is  the  burden  of 
evangelical  preaching.  Our  Saviour  himself, 
when  he  began  to  preach,  said.  Repent,  for  the 
kingdom  of  God  is  at  hand.*  And  when  he 
came  into  Galilee  preaching  the  gospel,  he  said, 
The  time  is  fulfilled,  and  the  kingdom  of  God 
is  at  hand,  repent  ye  and  beliave  the  gospel. f 
The  commission  which  he  gave  his  apostles  was, 
That  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  should  be 
preached  in  his  name  among  all  nations. J  In 
the  execution  of  this  commission,  his  disciples 
went  forth  and  preached.  Repent  ye  and  be 
converted,  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out, 
when  the  times  of  refreshing  shall  come  from 
the  presence  of  the  Lord.§  Paul,  in  the  account 
which  he  ^ave  Agrippa  of  his  preaching,  said 
that  he  showed  first  unto  them  in  Damascus, 
and  at  Jerusalem,  and  throughout  all  the  coasts 
of  Judea,  and  then  unto  the  Gentiles,  that  they 
should  repent  and  turn  unto  God,  and  do  works 
meet  for  repentance.  ||  And  he  called  upon  the 
elders  at  Ephesus  to  bear  witness  that  he  had 
taught  publicly  and  from  house  to  house,  testify- 
ing both  to  the  Jews  and  to  the  Greeks,  repent- 
ance toward  God  and  faith  toward  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.TI 

*Matt.iv.  17.  t  Mark  i.  15. 

J  Luke  xxiv.  47.  ?  Acts  iii.  19. 

11  Acts  xxvi.  20.  H  Acts  xx.  21. 


238  REPENTANCE. 

Eepentance  then  is  the  great,  immediate  and 
pressing  duty  of  all  who  hear  the  gospel.  They 
are  called  upon  to  forsake  their  sins,  and  to  re- 
turn unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ.  The  neg- 
lect of  this  duty  is  the  rejection  of  salvation. 
For,  as  we  have  seen,  unless  we  repent  we  must 
perish.  It  is  because  repentance  is  thus  indis- 
pensably necessary,  that  God  reveals  so  clearly 
not  only  the  evil  of  sin  and  the  terrors  of  his 
law,  but  his  infinite  compassion  and  love;  that 
he  calls  upon  us  to  turn  unto  him  and  live, 
assuring  us  that  he  is  the  Lord,  the  Lord  God, 
merciful  and  gracious,  long-suffering,  and  abun- 
dant in  goodness  and  truth.  This  call  to  re- 
pentance commonly  follows  men  from  the  cradle 
to  the  grave.  It  is  one  of  the  first  sounds  which 
wakes  the  infant's  ear;  it  is  one  of  the  last  which 
falls  on  the  failing  senses  of  the  dying  sinner. 
Every  thing  in  this  world  is  vocal  with  the  voice 
of  mercy.  All  joy  and  all  sorrow  are  calls  to 
return  unto  God,  with  whom  are  the  issues  of 
life.  Every  opening  grave,  every  church,  every 
page  of  the  Bible,  is  an  admonition  or  an  invi- 
tation. Every  serious  thought  or  anxious  fore- 
boding is  the  voice  of  God,  saying.  Turn  ye,  for 
why  will  ye  die?  It  is  through  all  these  ad- 
monitions that  men  force  their  way  to  death. 
They  perish,  because  they  deliberately  reject 
salvation. 

It  is  one  of  the  mysteries  of  redemption,  that 
under   the   economy   of  mercy,    all   duties   are 


REPENTANCE.  239 

graces.  Though  repentance  is  our  duty,  it  is 
not  less  the  gift  of  God.  Those  who  wrest  the 
Scriptures  to  their  own  destruction,  gladly  seize 
on  such  truths  either  as  an  excuse  for  delay, 
under  pretence  of  waiting  God's  time,  or  as  a 
palliation  of  the  guilt  of  a  hard  and  impenitent 
heart.  But  those  who  feel  the  greatness  of  the 
work  required  of  them,  rejoice  in  the  truth,  and 
rouse  themselves  with  new  energy  to  their  duty, 
no  longer  a  hopeless  task,  and  with  all  earnest- 
ness work  out  their  own  salvation,  because  it  is 
God  that  worketh  in  them  to  will  and  to  do, 
according  to  his  own  pleasure. 


240  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 


CHAPTER  YIIL 

Section   I. — The  Nature  and  Necessity  of  a  Puhlio 
Profession  of  Religion. 

Eeligion  consists  in  a  great  measure  in  the 
secret  intercourse  of  the  soul  with  God ;  in  those 
acts  of  adoration,  gratitude,  confidence  and  sub- 
mission which  the  eye  of  man  cannot  see,  and 
with  which  the  stranger  cannot  intermeddle. 
These  secret  exercises,  by  controlling  the  exter- 
nal conduct,  and  by  supplying  the  motives  for 
the  humble  demeanour  and  benevolent  actions 
of  the  Christian,  cannot  indeed  fail  to  manifest 
their  existence;  but  all  unnecessary  parading 
them  ujDon  the  notice  of  others  borders  on  the 
offence  which  our  Saviour  condemned  in  the 
ancient  Pharisees.  Agreeably  to  his  directions, 
our  alms  are  to  be  given  in  secret;  when  we 
pray,  we  should  pray  in  secret;  and  when  we 
fast,  we  should  not  appear  unto  men  to  fast, 
but  unto  our  Father,  who  seeth  in  secret.  In 
these  words  Christ  does  more  than  condemn 
hypocrisy ;  he  not  only  forbids  the  performance 
of  religious  duties  with  the  design  of  being  seen 
of  men,  but  he  teaches  that  true  religion  is  un- 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  241 

obtrusive  and  retiring.  It  avoids  the  glare  of 
day.  It  is  lioly,  solemn,  secret,  rejoicing  in  being 
unobserved.  It  is  directly  opposed  to  the  os- 
tentatious display  of  religious  feelings  in  which 
those  delight  who  seem  to  make  religion  consist 
in  talking  about  it. 

Although  religion  is  thus  retiring  in  its  cha- 
racter, and  although  it  consists  in  a  great  mea- 
sure in  the  secret  intercourse  of  the  soul  with 
God,  it  nevertheless  has  its  social  and  public 
relations,  which  render  it  impossible  that  a  true 
Christian  should  desire  to  keep  the  fact  of  his 
being  a  Christian  a  secret  from  the  world.  This 
is  indeed  often  attempted,  for  a  time,  by  those 
whose  faith  is  weak,  and  who  dread  the  reproach 
with  which  a  profession  of  religion  is,  under 
many  circumstances,  attended.  The  temptation 
to  such  concealment  cannot  well  be  appreciated 
by  those  who  have  always  lived  in  the  bosom  of 
a  religious  society,  where  the  ^^i^ofession  of  reli- 
gious sentiments  is  a  passport  to  confidence  and 
respect.  Such  persons  little  know  the  trial  to 
which  those  of  their  brethren  are  exposed  whose 
parents  or  associates  view  all  experimental  reli- 
gion with  hatred  or  contempt,  and  who  visit 
every  manifestation  of  pious  feelings  with  the 
chastisement  of  cruel  mockings.  To  a  greater 
or  less  degree,  a  large  portion  of  the  people  of 
God  are  called  upon  to  endure  this  trial;  and 
they  are   often   tempted   to   ask  whether  they 

cannot  be  religious  without  letting  it  be  known. 

2i 


242  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

If  religion  is  a  secret  thing,  why  may  it  not  be 
kept  a  secret  ?  To  this  question  the  answer  is 
simple  and  decisive.  The  confession  of  Christ 
before  men  is  declared  in  Scripture  to  be  essen- 
tial to  salvation.  Whosoever,  said  our  Saviour, 
confesseth  me  before  men,  him  will  I  confess 
before  my  Father  w^hich  is  in  heaven ;  but  who- 
soever denieth  me  before  men,  him  will  I  also 
deny  before  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven.* 
Again,  Whosoever  shall  be  ashamed  of  me  and 
of  my  words  in  this  adulterous  generation,  of 
him  also  shall  the  Son  of  Man  be  ashamed, 
w^hen  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of  his  Father  and 
with  the  holy  angels.f  Paul  also,  in  writing  to 
Timothy,  says.  Be  not  ashamed  of  the  testimony 
of  our  Lord,  nor  of  me  his  prisoner,  but  be  thou 
partaker  of  the  afflictions  of  the  gospel  according 
to  the  power  of  God.J  If  we  suffer,  we  shall 
also  reign  wdth  him ;  if  we  deny  him,  he  also 
will  deny  us.§  And  still  more  explicitly,  when 
teaching  the  condition  of  salvation,  he  says,  If 
thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord  Je- 
sus, and  shalt  believe  in  thy  heart  that  God  hath 
raised  him  from  the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved. 
For  with  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  right- 
eousness, and  with  the  mouth  confession  is  made 
unto  salvation.  1 1  The  same  truth  is  taught  in 
all  those  passages  which  assert  the  necessity  of 

*  Matt.  X.  32,  33.  f  Mark  viii.  38.  %  2  Tim.  i.  8. 

§  2  Tim.  ii.  12.  ||  Rom.  x.  9, 10. 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  243 

baptism,  because  baptism  involves  a  public  pro- 
fession of  the  gospel.  Thus  our  Saviour,  in  his 
commission  to  the  apostles,  said,  He  that  believ- 
eth  and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved.*  And  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  when  the  people  were  con- 
vinced of  the  sin  of  havmg  rejected  Christ,  and 
asked  what  they  should  do,  Peter  answered, 
Repent  and  be  baptized,  every  one  of  you,  in 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.-j*  It  was  not 
enough  that  they  should  retire  to  their  houses 
and  repent  before  God ;  they  must  publicly  ac- 
knowledo;e  Christ  and  their  alledance  to  him. 
There  is,  therefore,  no  condition  of  discipleship 
more  clearly  laid  down  than  this.  If  we  do  not 
confess  Christ,  he  will  not  confess  us.  If  we  do 
not  acknowledge  him  as  our  Saviour,  he  will  not 
acknowledge  us  as  his  disciples.  If  we  are  not 
willing  to  share  with  him  in  the  reproach  and 
contradiction  of  sinners,  we  cannot  share  in  the 
glory  which  he  has  received  from  the  Father. 

The  relation  in  which  we  stand  to  Christ  as 
our  king  renders  a  public  acknowledgment  of 
his  authority  necessary.  •  In  the  kingdoms  of 
this  world,  no  one  is  admitted  to  the  privileges 
of  citizenship  without  a  profession  of  allegiance. 
And  in  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  those  who  do 
not  acknowledge  his  authority,  reject  him.  By 
refusing  to  confess  him  as  Lord,  they  declare 
that  they  are  not  his  people. 

*  Mark  xvi.  16.  f  Acts  ii.  38. 


244  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

The  cliurch  is  also  often  compared  in  Scrip- 
ture to  a  family.  Can  a  child  live  in  his  father's 
house  without  acknowledging  his  parent  ?  May 
he  receive  the  blessings  of  a  mother's  love,  and 
not  acknowledge  her  to  be  his  mother?  May 
he  pass  her  in  the  street  witliout  recognition, 
and  then  steal  away,  under  cover  of  the  night, 
to  be  fed  at  her  table  and  to  be  protected  by  her 
care?  As  every  one  feels  that  no  child,  with 
proper  filial  feelings,  could  hesitate  to  acknow- 
ledge his  parents,  so  w^e  may  be  assured  that  we 
are  not  the  children  of  God,  if  we  are  afraid  or 
ashamed  to  acknowledge  him  as  our  Father,  and 
our  obligations  to  honour  and  obey  him. 

It  is  still  further  to  be  considered  that  Chris- 
tians are  the  worshippers  of  Christ.  The  apostle 
salutes  the  Corinthians  as  those  who  call  upon 
the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus ;  and  from  the  be- 
ginning, in  Jerusalem  and  at  Damascus,  Chris- 
tians were  designated  as  those  who  called  on  the 
name  of  Christ.*  But  what  kind  of  a  worshipper 
is  he  who  is  ashamed  or  afraid  to  acknowdedge 
his  God  ?  All  the  relations,  therefore,  in  which 
a  Christian  stands  to  Christ,  as  his  king,  as  the 
head  of  the  family  of  God  and  as  the  object  of 
divine  worship,  involve  the  necessity  of  confess- 
ing him  before  men;  and  we  practically  reject 
him  in  all  these  relations  by  neglecting  or  refus- 
ing this  public  profession  of  him  and  his  religion. 

*  Acts  ix.  14,21. 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  245 

A  moment's  consideration  of  the  nature  of  the 
religion  of  Jesus  Christ  must  convince  us  of  the 
impossibility  of  being  a  secret  Christian.  Not 
the  heart  only,  but  the  whole  external  deport- 
ment must  be  regulated  by  that  religion.  It 
forbids  many  things  which  the  world  allows ;  it 
enjoins  many  things  which  the  world  forbids. 
Obedience  to  its  precepts  of  necessity  includes  a 
j)ublic  profession ;  because  such  obedience  draws 
a  line  of  distinction  between  its  disciples  and  the 
people  of  the  w^orld.  This  is  one  of  the  reasons 
why  the  people  of  God  are  called  saints.  They 
are  distinguished,  separated  from  others  and  con- 
secrated to  God.  When  they  cease  to  be  thus 
distinguished  from  those  around  them,  they 
cease  to  be  saints.  If  their  inward  tem2:)er  and 
outward  conduct  do  not  mark  them  out  as  a 
peculiar  people,  they  are  not  Christians.  A  city 
set  on  a  hill  cannot  be  hid.  It  cannot  be  that 
those  who  deny  themselves,  and  take  up  their 
cross  and  daily  follow  Christ;  whose  affections 
are  set  upon  things  above;  who  walk  by  faith 
and  not  by  sight ;  who  live  unto  God  and  keep 
themselves  unspotted  from  the  world,  should  not 
visibly  differ  from  those  whose  spirit,  principles 
and  objects  are  all  worldly.  Nor  is  it  possible 
that  this  difference  should  exist,  without  an 
avowal,  on  the  part  of  the  Christian,  of  the 
cause  of  it.  He  must  appeal  to  the  authority 
of  Christ  as  the  justification  of  his  conduct,  and 

21* 


246  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

therefore  cannot  live  as  a  Christian  without  con- 
fessing Christ. 

Besides  the  general  temper  and  deportment 
required  by  the  gospel,  there  are  many  specific 
duties  enjoined  by  Christ  which  imply  a  public 
profession  of  his  religion.  The  organization  of 
his  church  as  a  visible  society,  supposes  the  sepa- 
ration of  a  people  recognising  his  authority,  and 
professing  to  act  in  obedience  to  his  laws.  The 
commission  which  he  gave  to  his  disciples  was, 
that  they  should  go  into  all  the  world,  preaching 
his  gospel,  making  disciples,  baptizing  them  in 
his  name,  gathering  them  into  distinct  societies, 
and  appointing  officers  over  them  for  conducting 
]Dublic  worship  and  for  the  exercise  of  discipline. 
All  this  supposes  that  his  followers  should  con- 
stitute a  body  publicly  acknowledging  him  as 
their  head,  and  confessing  him  as  their  Lord  and 
Saviour  before  the  world.  How  can  a  man  keep 
the  fact  of  his  being  a  Christian  a  secret,  when 
Christianity  is,  by  its  author,  made  to  assume 
this  visible,  organized  form  ?  It  is  specially  en- 
joined upon  every  believer  to  associate  himself 
with  the  church,  to  assemble  with  his  fellow- 
Christians  for  public  worship,  and  to  unite  with 
them  in  celebrating  the  Saviour's  death.  If  a 
Christian  is  one  who  obeys  Christ,  and  if  obe- 
dience includes  those  external  acts  which  involve 
this  public  acknowledgment  of  him,  then  no  man 
can  be  a  Christian  who  does  not  make  this  ac- 
knowledgment. 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  247 

There  are  few  duties  (and  those  founded  on 
positive  precepts)  commanded  in  the  word  of 
God,  which  right  feelings  do  not,  of  themselves, 
urge  us  to  discharge.  If  we  are  required  to  for- 
sake sin,  to  serve  God,  to  love  the  brethren,  to 
live  for  others  rather  than  ourselves,  to  be  in- 
stant in  prayer,  to  join  in  the  public  and  social 
worship  of  God ;  these  are  things  in  w^hich  the 
renewed  heart  instinctively  delights.  The  ex- 
ternal command  guides  and  sanctions  the  per- 
formance; but  the  motive  to  obedience  is  not 
mere  regard  to  authority.  In  like  manner, 
while  the  public  confession  of  Christ  is  enjoined 
in  Scripture  as  a  necessary  duty,  it  is,  at  the 
same  time,  the  spontaneous  tribute  of  every 
Christian  heart.  If  no  subject  requires  to  be 
urged  to  acknowledge  a  sovereign  whom  he 
loves ;  if  no  child  needs  to  be  commanded  to  con- 
fess a  parent  whom  he  reveres,  much  less  does 
the  believer  need  to  be  forced  to  confess  the 
Saviour,  whom  he  regards  as  the  brightness  of 
the  Father's  glory,  to  whom  he  feels  indebted 
for  redemption,  and  whom  he  hopes  to  worship 
and  serve  with  saints  and  angels  in  heaven.  It 
is  not  meant  to  be  asserted  that  no  believer  is 
ever  ashamed  of  Jesus ;  nor  that  under  circum- 
stances of  peculiar  trial  he  may  not  fear  to  ac- 
knowledge his  truth  or  to  assume  his  name. 
Peter  once  denied  his  Master.  But  it  is  cer- 
tainly true  that  no  man  can  have  right  views  of 
Christ  and  right  feelings  toward    him,  without 


248  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

habitually,  openly  and  gladly  acknowledging 
him  as  his  God  and  Saviour.  He  will  esteem 
the  reproach  of  Christ  greater  riches  than  the 
treasures  of  Egypt,  and  choose  rather  to  suffer 
affliction  with  the  people  of  God  than  to  enjoy 
the  pleasures  of  sin  for  a  season. 

It  is  not  difficult  to  understand  the  nature  of 
the  duty  now  under  consideration.  To  confess 
Christ  is  to  recognise  his  character  and  claims. 
It  is  to  acknowledge  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ. 
It  is  to  admit  the  truth  of  the  doctrines  which 
he  taught.  It  is  to  profess  our  allegiance  to  him 
as  our  Lord  and  Saviour.  This  confession  must 
be  public;  it  must  be  made  before  men;  it  must 
be  made  with  the  mouth,  and  not  left  to  be  in- 
ferred from  the  conduct.  It  should  be  remem- 
bered that  this  includes  more  than  the  mere 
assumption  of  the  name  Christian,  in  distinction 
from  Pagan  or  Mohammedan.  If  men  miscon- 
ceive or  misrepresent  the  character  of  Christ,  a 
profession  of  such  erroneous  views  is  not  the 
confession  which  he  requires.  To  acknowledge 
Christ  merely  as  a  good  man,  or  an  inspired 
teacher,  is  in  fact  to  deny  him  in  his  true  cha- 
racter as  the  Son  of  God,  as  the  propitiation  for 
sin,  as  the  only  mediator  and  the  sovereign  Lord 
of  the  living  and  the  dead.  And  to  acknow- 
ledge the  gospel  merely  as  a  code  of  morals,  is 
to  reject  it  as  the  revelation  of  the  grace  of  God. 
The  confession  which  is  required  is  the  public 
acknowledgment  of  Christ  in  his  true  character, 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  249 

and  of  his  gospel  in  its  real  nature.  It  will  not 
do  to  strip  the  gospel  of  every  thing  offensive  to 
human  pride  and  to  acknowledge  the  rest.  The 
very  thing  to  be  done  is  to  take  the  shame  of 
professing  what  is  a .  scandal  to  the  Jews  and 
foolishness  to  the  Greeks.  It  is  to  acknowledge 
our  faith  and  confidence  in  a  Saviour  despised 
and  rejected  of  men,  and  in  doctrines  which 
human  reason  can  neither  discover  nor  compre-  ^ 
bend.  v^..^ 

There  are  several  ways  in  which  this  public 
confession  is  to  be  made.  As  already  remarked, 
there  is  a  confession  included  in  the  obedience 
rendered  to  the  commands  of  Christ.  Obedience, 
therefore,  is  one  form  of  confession,  and  can 
never  be  rendered  without  distinguishing  those 
who  yield  it  as  the  followers  of  Christ.  Again, 
occasions  frequently  occur  in  which  Christians 
are  called  upon  to  avow  the  truth,  to  defend  it 
against  gainsayers,  to  urge  it  upon  those  over 
wdiom  they  have  influence  or  authority,  or  to 
give  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  them,  with 
meekness  and  fear.  But  the  chief  and  most  im- 
portant mode  of  confession  is  attendance  upon 
the  ordinances  of  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 
So  much  prominence  is  given  to  these  institu- 
tions, in  the  word  of  God,  that  every  Christian 
should  have  clear  ideas  of  their  nature  and  of 
his  own  duty  in  regard  to  them. 


250  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 


Section  II. — Baptisjn  and  the  Lord's  Supper. — The 
Mature,  Design  and  Efficacy  of  these  Ordinances. 

That  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  what- 
ever other  important  ends  they  may  be  intended 
to  serve,  were  appointed  as  a  mode  of  pubhcly 
professing  our  faith  in  the  gospel,  is  clearly 
taught  in  the  Bible.  The  public  participation 
of  the  rites  of  any  religion  is,  in  its  nature,  a 
profession  of  that  religion.  It  is  on  this  ground 
the  apostle  charges  with  idolatry  the  Corinthians 
who,  within  the  precincts  of  the  heathen  tem- 
ples, partook  of  the  sacrifices  offered  to  idols.  I 
speak  as  to  wise  men,  judge  ye  what  I  say. 
The  participation  of  a  Christian  ordinance,  is  it 
not  an  act  of  Christian  worship?  The  participa- 
tion of  a  Jewish  sacrifice,  is  it  not  an  act  of 
Jewish  worship?  and  by  parity  of  reasoning,  is 
not  the  participation  of  a  heathen  ordinance  an 
act  of  heathen  worship  ?  This  is  the  purport  of 
the  apostle's  argument  in  1  Cor.  x.  15 — 21,  and 
it  is  obviously  founded  on  the  admitted  truth, 
that  joining  in  the  celebration  of  the  ordinances 
of  the  gospel,  is,  from  the  nature  of  the  act,  a 
profession  of  the  religion  of  Christ.  The  reci- 
pient thereby  places  himself  in  communion  with 
the  object  of  worship  and  with  all  his  fellow- 
worshippers.  For  we  being  many  are  one  bread 
and  one  body ;  for  we  are  all  partakers  of  one 
bread.     Hence  the  a^^ostle  adds,  Ye  cannot  drink 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  251 

of  the  cup  of  the  Lord  and  of  the  cup  of  devils; 
ye  cannot  be  partakers  of  the  Lord's  table  and 
the  table  of  devils.  It  is  impossible  to  be  in 
communion  with  Christ  and  Satan  at  the  same 
time,  and,  therefore,  it  is  the  grossest  inconsist- 
ency to  partake  at  the  same  time  of  the  ordi- 
nances of  Christ  and  of  the  sacrifices  of  devils. 
All  this  supposes  that  a  participation  of  Chris- 
tian ordinances  is  a  profession  of  the  Christian 
religion.  When  Christ  commanded  the  apostles 
to  make  disciples,  baptizing  them,  &c.,  he  obvi- 
ously intended  that  baptism  should  be  a  badge 
of  discipleship,  or  that  by  that  rite  his  followers 
should  acknowledge  their  relation  to  him.  This, 
indeed,  is  the  prominent  idea  in  the  formula.  To 
baptize  in  the  name  of  any  one.  And  hence 
Paul  reminded  the  Corinthians  that  they  were 
not  his  disciples  or  followers,  by  asking  them, 
^yere  ye  baptized  in  the  name  of  Paul?  It  is, 
however,  unnecessary  to  dwell  upon  this  point, 
as  it  is  universally  conceded  that  the  participation 
of  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel  is  the  appointed 
mode  of  confessing  Christ  before  the  world. 

As  it  is  the  duty  of  every  Christian  to  confess 
Christ,  and  to  confess  him  in  this  particular  way, 
it  is  necessary  to  inquire  more  particularly  into 
the  nature  and  design  of  these  ordinances.  It 
has  long  been  customary  in  the  church  to  call 
these  institutions  sacraments.  Little  light,  how- 
ever, can  be  derived  from  the  use  of  this  term, 
because  it  is  not  a  scriptural  word,  and  because 


252  PROFESSION   OF    RELIGION. 

it  is  employed  by  ancient  writers  in  a  very  com- 
prehensive sense.  As  it  comes  from  the  word 
meaning  to  consecrate,  any  thing  sacred  was 
called  a  sacrament.  The  Eomans  applied  the 
term  to  a  sum  of  money  deposited  in  the  hands 
of  the  high  jDriest  to  abide  the  decision  of  a  suit. 
They  also  called  the  oath  by  which  soldiers  con- 
secrate themselves  to  the  military  service  a  sacra- 
ment; and  in  the  Latin  church,  (whence  we 
have  borrowed  the  word,)  it  was  used  as  synony- 
mous with  mystery,  not  only  as  applied  to 
things  which  had  a  hidden  meaning,  but  in  its 
wider  sense  as  signifying  what  was  undiscover- 
able  by  human  reason.  In  this  sense  the  gospel 
itself,  the  calling  of  the  Gentiles,  the  future  con- 
version of  the  Jews  are  sacraments.  It  is  not 
from  a  word  of  such  latitude  of  meaning  that 
the  nature  of  the  Christian  ordinances  can  be 
learned;  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  Christian 
sense  of  the  word  must  be  determined  by  what 
the  Scriptures  teach  concerning  the  ordinances  to 
which  the  word  is  now  applied. 

They  are,  in  the  jSrst  place,  rites  of  divine 
appointment,  and  not  of  human  institution. 
When  Christ  was  about  to  ascend  into  heaven, 
he  said,  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations, 
baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Fatlier,  of 
the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  teaching  them 
to  observe  all  things  whatsoever  I  have  com- 
manded you;  and,  lo,  I  am  with  you  always, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.     The  rite  of 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  253 

baptism  was,  therefore,  instituted  by  Christ,  and 
is  to  be  continued  as  long  as  there  are  disciples 
to  be  made,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world. 
And  on  the  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed,  he 
instituted  the  Lord's  supper,  saying,  This  do  in 
remembrance  of  me,  with  the  command  that  it 
should  be  observed  until  he  comes.  The  New 
Testament  furnishes  abundant  evidence  that  the 
apostles  enjoined,  both  by  precept  and  example, 
the  observance  of  these  ordinances,  agreeably  to 
the  Saviour's  directions.  No  rite,  therefore,  is  a 
sacrament  in  the  Christian  sense  of  the  term, 
which  is  not  a  matter  of  divine  appointment, 
and  of  perpetual  obligation. 

In  the  second  place,  the  Bible  teaches  us  that 
the  sacraments  are  the  signs  of  spiritual  bless- 
ings. They  are  designed  by  outward,  significant 
actions,  to  represent  inward,  spiritual  gifts.  The 
great  blessing  offered  in  the  gospel  is  union  with 
Christ,  and  the  consequent  participation  of  his 
merits  and  Spirit,  by  which  we  are  freed  from 
the  condemnation  and  pollution  of  sin.  And 
this  is  the  blessing  which  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
supper  are  designed  to  represent.  Hence  it  is 
said,  As  many  as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ, 
have  put  on  Christ;  which  implies  union  with 
him.*  Believers  are  said  to  be  baptized  into  one 
body.f  That  is,  by  baptism  they  are  constituted 
one  body;  but  they  are  one  body  only  in  virtue 


*  Gal.  iii.  27.  f  1  Cor.  xii.  13. 

22 


254  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

of  their  union  with  their  common  head.  Know 
ye  not,  asks  the  apostle,  that  so  many  of  us  as 
were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ,  were  baptized 
into  his  death  ?  i.  e.  so  as  to  be  united  with  him 
in  his  death.*  As  union  with  Christ  is  the 
great  blessing  signified  by  baptism,  and  as  par- 
don and  sanctification  are  the  consequences  of 
that  union,  this  ordinance  is  also  represented  as 
symbolizing  these  two  great  blessings  of  the 
covenant  of  grace.  Thus  on  the  day  of  Pente- 
cost, Peter  said  to  the  people.  Repent,  and  be 
baptized  every  one  of  you,  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ,  for  the  remission  of  sins.f  And  Ananias 
said  to  Paul,  Arise  and  be  baptized,  and  wash 
away  thy  sins,  calling  on  the  name  of  the  Lord.  J 
In  many  similar  passages  the  reference  of  bap- 
tism to  pardon  is  very  clearly  expressed. 

No  less  clear  is  its  intended  significancy  of 
sanctification.  This  is  plainly  taught  in  the 
passages  from  the  Epistles  to  the  Galatians  and 
Eomans,  quoted  above,  in  which  baptism  is  de- 
clared to  represent  our  union  with  Christ,  and 
our  death  to  sin  and  our  living  unto  God.  And 
in  the  Epistle  to  Titus,§  it  is  called  "  the  wash- 
ing of  regeneration ;"  and  in  the  Ej^istle  to  the 
Ephesians,||  Christ  is  said  to  sanctify  his  church 
"  with  the  washing  of  water  by  the  word."  It 
need  hardly  be  remarked  that  the  ordinance  is 

*  Rom.  vi.  2.  t  Acts  ii.  38.  %  Acts  xxii.  16. 

|Titusiii.5.  |1  Eph.  v.  26. 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  255 

appropriately  significant  of  these  great  truths. 
Water  is  the  common  means  of  purification. 
Both  the  guilt  and  pollution  of  sin  are  repre- 
sented in  ScrijDture  as  a  defilement,  and  hence 
they  are  said  to  be  washed  away  by  the  blood 
and  Spirit  of  Christ.  It  is  this  twofold  purifica- 
tion that  is  so  appropriately  represented  by  the 
ordinance  in  question. 

The  same  truths,  under  a  different  aspect,  are 
exhibited  in  the  Lord's  supper.  That  the  bread 
represents  the  body  of  Christ,  and  the  wine  his 
blood,  is  expressly  declared  by  our  Saviour  when 
he  said,  "  This  is  my  body,  this  is  my  blood." 
And  by  our  participation  of  the  bread  and  wine, 
our  participation  of  that  of  which  they  are*  the 
symbols  is  clearly  represented.  The  cup  of 
blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not  the  communion 
of  the  blood  of  Christ?  The  bread  which  we 
break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body  of 
Christ?  For  we  being  many  are  one  bread, 
and  one  body,  for  we  are  all  partakers  of  that 
one  bread."^  Here,  as  in  the  passage  quoted 
above  in  reference  to  baptism,  believers  are .  de- 
clared to  be  one  body,  because,  by  partaking  of 
the  Lord's  supper,  their  communion  with  the 
Lord  Jesus  is  expressed.  These  ordinances, 
therefore,  though  in  different  ways,  set  forth  the 
same  great  truth.  They  are  both  divinely  ap- 
pointed symbols  of  our  union  with  Christ,  and 

*  1  Cor.  X.  IG,  17. 


256  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

of  our  participation  of  the  benefits  which  flow 
from  his  mediation  and  death. 

We  should  greatly  err,  however,  if  we  sup- 
posed they  were  merely  signs.  We  are  taught 
that  they  are  seals;  that  they  were  appointed 
by  Christ  to  certify  to  believers  their  interest  in 
the  blessings  of  the  covenant  of  grace.  Among 
men  a  seal  is  used  for  the  purpose  of  authentica- 
tion and  confirmation.  It  is  intended  to  assure 
the  party  concerned  that  the  document  to  which 
it  is  attached,  is  genuine  and  binding.  In  con- 
descension to  our  weakness,  God  has  been 
pleased  not  only  to  promise  pardon  and  purity 
to  believers,  but  to  appoint  these  ordinances  as 
seals  of  his  promises.  The  simple  assurance 
given  to  Noah  that  the  earth  should  not  a 
second  time  be  destroyed  by  a  deluge,  might 
have  been  a  sufficient  foundation  for  confidence ; 
but  God  saw  fit  to  appoint  the  rainbow  to  be 
a  perpetual  confirmation  of  his  covenant;  and 
throughout  all  generations,  when  that  bow  ap- 
pears, men  feel  that  it  is  not  merely  a  sign  of  the 
returning  sun,  but  a  divinely  appointed  pledge 
of  the  promise  of  God.  In  like  manner,  God 
willing  more  abundantly  to  show  unto  his  peo- 
ple the  immutability  of  his  promise,  has  con- 
firmed it  by  these  seals,  which  are  designed  to 
assure  the  believer  that  as  certainly  as  he  re- 
ceives the  signs  of  the  blessings  of  the  covenant, 
he  shall  receive  the  blessings  themselves. 

That  these  ordinances  were  really  intended  to 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  257 

confirm  the  promises  of  God,  is  plain  from  the 
fact  that  Paul  says  that  circumcision  was  the 
seal  of  the  righteousness  of  faith ;  that  is,  it 
was  designed  to  assure  Abraham  and  his  de- 
scendants that  God  w^ould  regard  and  treat  as 
righteous  all  w^ho  believed  his  words.  And  that 
the  apostle  regarded  baptism  in  the  same  light 
is  obvious  from  Col.  ii.  11,  &c.,  where  baptism 
and  circumcision  are  spoken  of  as  of  similar  im- 
port. And  in  reference  to  the  Lord's  supper, 
the  Saviour  said,  This  cup  is  the  New  Testament 
in  my  blood;  that  is,  the  new  covenant  was 
ratified  by  his  blood.  Of  that  blood  the  cup  is 
the  appointed  memorial,  and  it  is,  therefore,  at 
the  same  time,  the  memorial  and  confirmation 
of  the  covenant  itself;  it  is  the  assurance  to  us 
that  God  has  promised  the  blessings  of  that 
covenant  to  all  believers.  Baptism  and  the 
Lord's  supper  are  therefore  visible  pledges  or 
confirmations  of  the  fact  that  Christ  has  died, 
that  his  death  has  been  accepted  as  a  propitia- 
tion for  sin,  and  that  God,  for  his  sake,  will 
grant  pardon,  sanctification  and  eternal  life  to 
all  them  that  believe. 

If,  however,  the  sacraments  are  seals  on  the 
part  of  God,  the  reception  of  them  implies  a 
voluntary  engagement  on  the  part  of  the  Chris- 
tian to  devote  himself  to  the  service  of  Christ. 
The  gospel  is  represented  under  the  form  of  a  co- 
venant.   It  is  so  called  by  Christ  himself    But  a 

covenant  implies  mutual  stipulations.     God  pro- 

22* 


258  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

mises  to  his  people  pardon  and  salvation ;  in  his 
strength,  they  promise  faith  and  obedience.  The 
sacraments  are  the  seals  of  this  covenant.  God, 
in  their  appointment,  binds  himself  to  the  per- 
formance of  his  promise ;  his  people,  by  receiv- 
ing them,  bind  themselves  to  trust  and  serve 
him.  This  idea  is  included  in  the  representation 
given  in  Romans  vi.  3,  4,  where  believers  are 
said  to  have  been  buried  with  Christ  in  baptism, 
that  as  he  rose  from  the  dead,  they  also  should 
walk  in  newness  of  life.  It  is  included  also  in 
the  very  formula  of  baptism ;  for  to  be  baptized 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost, 
implies  a  voluntary  dedication  of  ourselves  to 
God,  as  our  Father,  Redeemer  and  Sanctifier. 
The  same  thing  is  taught  in  all  the  passages  in 
w^hicli  a  participation  of  Christian  ordinances  is 
said  to  include  a  profession  of  the  gospel;  for 
the  gospel  imposes  duties  as  well  as  promises 
blessings. 

It  is  probably  in  this  view  of  these  ordinances 
that  the  name,  sacraments,  was  so  generally  ap- 
j)lied  to  them.  For  as  the  oath  by  which  the 
soldier  consecrated  himself  to  the  military  ser- 
vice was  called  a  sacrament,  so  the  ordinances 
in  which  the  believer  binds  himself  to  the  ser- 
vice of  Christ  was  appropriately  designated  by 
the  same  term.  The  phrase  sacramental  host 
is,  therefore,  not  inaptly  applied  to  the  people 
of   God,  considered  as  a  great  multitude,  who 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  259 

have  solemnly  bound  themselves  by  sacraments 
to  live  to  his  glory. 

Baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  being  ordi- 
nances of  divine  appointment  and  perpetual 
obligation,  designed  to  distinguish  the  followers 
of  Christ  from  the  world;  to  exhibit  the  truths 
of  the  gospel ;  to  seal  to  believers  the  divine 
promises,  and  to  bring  them  into  covenant  with 
God,  the  interesting  question  arises.  What  good 
do  they  do  ?  What  benefits  are  we  authorized 
to  expect  from  them  ?  The  answer  commonly 
given  to  this  question  by  the  great  body  of  evan- 
gelical Christians  is,  that  the  sacraments  are  eflB- 
cacious  means  of  grace,  not  merely  exhibiting  to, 
but  actually  conferring  upon  those  who  worthily 
receive  them,  the  benefits  which  they  represent. 
As  they  are  divinely  appointed  to  set  forth 
Christ  and  his  benefits,  and  to  assure  the  be- 
liever of  his  interest  therein,  they  have,  even  as 
moral  means,  a  powerful  influence  to  confirm  his 
faith,  to  excite  his  gratitude  and  love,  and  to 
open  the  fountains  both  of  penitence  and  joy. 
But  as  the  word  of  God  has  not  only  its  own 
moral  influence,  as  truth,  in  the  sanctification  of 
the  soul,  but  also,  when  attended  by  the  demon- 
stration of  the  Spirit,  a  divine  and  eJBfectual 
power;  so  the  sacraments  have  not  only  the  in- 
fluence due  to  the  lively  exhibition  of  truth,  but 
as  means  of  God's  appointment,  and  attended  by 
his  Spirit,  they  become  efiicacious  signs  of  grace, 
communicating  what  they  signify.     Nothing  less 


260  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

than  this  can  satisfy  the  strong  language  of  the 
Scriptures  on  this  subject,  or  the  experience  of 
God's  people.  When  the  Christian,  in  the  exer- 
cise of  faith,  sees  in  the  water  of  baptism  the 
lively  emblem  of  the  purifying  influence  of  the 
blood  and  Spirit  of  Christ,  and  in  the  bread  and 
wine  the  memorials  of  the  Saviour's  death,  and 
knows  that  they  are  appointed  to  be  a  pledge  of 
the  salvation  of  all  believers,  he  receives  Christ, 
in  receiving  the  appointed  symbols  of  his  grace ; 
he  receives  anew  the  forsfiveness  of  his  sins ;  he 
enters  into  fellowship  with  God,  and  his  soul  is 
filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost.  Hence  it  is  that 
believers  so  often  find  their  strength  renewed, 
their  faith  confirmed,  their  purposes  invigorated, 
their  hearts  filled  with  joy  and  love,  while  at- 
tending on  these  ordinances. 

As  the  efficacy  of  the  sacraments  is  a  subject 
of  great  practical  importance,  it  is  necessary  to 
examine  more  particularly  what  the  Scriptures 
teach  on  this  subject.  Baptism  is  called  the 
washing  of  regeneration ;  it  is  said  to  unite  us 
to  Christ,*  to  make  us  partakers  of  his  death 
and  life,f  to  wash  away  our  sins,J  to  save  the 
soul.§  The  bread  and  wine,  in  the  Lord's  sup- 
per, are  said  to  be  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ ; 
to  partake  of  these  emblems,  is  said  to  secure 
union  with  Christ   and   a  participation  of  the 

*  Gal.  iii.  27.  f  Rom.  vi.  4,  5. 

t  Acts  xxii.  16.  g  1  Pet.  iii.  21. 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  2G1 

merits  of  his  death.*  These  and  smiilar  pas- 
sages must  be  understood  either  with  or  without 
limitation.  If  they  are  to  be  limited,  the  limi- 
tation must  not  be  arbitrarily  imposed,  but  sup- 
plied by  the  Scriptures  themselves.  We  have 
no  right  to  say  that  the  sacraments  confer  these 
benefits  in  every  case  in  which  no  moral  impedi- 
ment is  interposed,  because  no  such  limitation 
is  expressed  in  the  passages  themselves,  nor 
elsewhere  taught  in  the  Scriptures.  The  limi- 
tation which  the  Scriptures  do  impose  on  these 
passages  is  the  necessity  of  faith.  They  teach 
that  the  sacraments  are  thus  efficacious,  not  to 
every  recipient,  but  to  the  believer;  to  those 
who  already  have  the  grace  wdiich  these  ordi- 
nances represent.  If  it  be  asked  how  they  can 
be  said  to  confer  the  grace  which  is  already  pos- 
sessed ?  let  it  be  remembered  that  he  who  has 
been  sprinkled  with  the  blood  of  Christ  needs 
the  application  to  be  often  repeated;  he  who 
has  received  the  Holy  Spirit  needs  to  receive 
him  again;  he  w^ho  has  received  Christ  needs 
to  receive  him  day  by  day,  that  he  may  live 
upon  him.  That  the  Scriptures  teach  that  the 
passages  in  question  are  to  be  understood  with 
the  qualifications  just  stated  is  clear,  because 
otherwise  they  would  teach  that  every  one  who 
is  baptized  is  a  child  of  God,  renewed  by  the 
Holy  Spirit,  united  to  Christ  and  made  a  par- 

*  1  Cor.  X.  IG,  17. 


262  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

taker  of  the  saving  benefits  of  his  death.  But 
this  cannot  be  true,  first,  because  the  Bible 
abundantly  teaches  that  those  who  are  renewed 
and  receive  the  Holy  Spirit  have  the  fruits  of 
the  Spirit,  love,  gentleness,  goodness  and  faith. 
Where  these  are  not,  there  the  Spirit  is  not. 
But  these  fruits  do  not  uniformly,  nor  even 
generally  attend  the  reception  of  the  outward  or- 
dinance. We  know  that  although  Simon  Magus 
was  baptized,  he  remained  in  the  gall  of  bitter- 
ness and  in  the  bond  of  iniquity.  We  know, 
from  Paul's  epistles,  that  many  of  the  baptized 
Galatians  and  Corinthians  were  the  enemies  of 
the  cross  of  Christ.  We  know  from  our  own 
daily  observation  that  multitudes  of  those  who 
are  baptized  and  received  to  the  Lord's  supper, 
do  not  differ  in  temper  or  life  from  the  world 
around  them.  God,  therefore,  in  the  actual  ad- 
ministration of  his  kingdom,  contradicts  that 
interpretation  of  his  word  which  makes  it  teach 
that  the  sacraments  always  confer  the  benefits 
which  they  represent.  It  is  to  degrade  the  re- 
newing of  the  heart  and  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  into  things  of  no  account,  to  represent 
them  as  the  portion  of  the  unholy  multitudes 
w4io  in  every  age  and  church  have  been  admit- 
ted to  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper. 

In  the  second  place,  this  interpretation  is  op- 
posed to  what  the  Scriptures  elsewhere  teach  of 
the  nature  of  sacraments.  The  opinion  that 
such  ordinances  uniformly  convey  grace  and  in- 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  263 

troduce  the  recipient  into  favour  with  God,  was 
one  of  those  false  doctrines  of  the  Jews  which 
Paul  so  earnestly  combated.  Great  is  the  virtue 
of  circumcision,  for  no  circumcised  person  enters 
hell,  was  the  confident  and  destructive  persua- 
sion of  the  formalists  of  that  age.  In  opposition 
to  this  doctrine,  the  apostle  assured  them  that 
circumcision  would,  indeed,  profit  them,  if  they 
kept  the  law;  but  if  they  broke  the  law,  their 
circumcision  became  uncircumcision.  For  he  is 
not  a  Jew  who  is  one  outwardly,  neither  is  that 
circumcision  which  is  outward  in  the  flesh ;  but 
he  is  a  Jew  who  is  one  inwardly ;  and  circumci- 
sion is  that  of  the  heart,  in  the  spirit,  and  not  in 
the  letter."^  We  have  here  a  very  explicit  state- 
ment of  the  nature  and  efficacy  of  a  sacrament. 
It  has  no  efficacy  in  itself  considered ;  its  value 
depends  on  the  presence  or  performance  of  the 
condition  of  the  covenant  to  w^hich  it  is  attached. 
If  the  Jews  kept  the  law,  their  circumcision 
secured  to  them  all  the  blessings  of  the  covenant 
under  which  they  lived.  But  if  they  broke  the 
law,  their  circumcision  was  of  no  avail.  It  was, 
therefore,  not  external  circumcision  that  made  a 
man  a  Jew;  but  the  circumcision  of  the  heart, 
of  which  the  external  rite  was  the  sign.  In  like 
manner  it  is  not  external  baptism  that  makes  a 
man  a  Christian,  but  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit, 
of  which  the  washing   with   water   is   the   ap- 

*  Rom.  ii.  25-20. 


264  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

pointed  symbol.  The  two  are  not  necessarily 
connected,  and  where  the  latter  is  wanting,  the 
former  can  be  of  no  avail.  And,  lest  it  should 
be  supposed  that  we  have  no  right  to  apply  what 
is  said  of  the  sacraments  of  the  old  dispensation 
to  those  of  the  new,  the  very  same  doctrine  is 
taught  in  reference  to  the  New  Testament  sacra- 
ments themselves.  The  apostle  Peter  says,  We 
are  saved  by  water;  not  ordinary  water,  but  by 
baptism;  not  mere  external  baptism,  however, 
but  by  the  sincere  turning  of  the  heart  to  God, 
that  is,  by  the  inward  change  of  which  baptism 
is  the  outward  sign.*  This  passage,  in  its  doc* 
trinal  import,  is  precisely  parallel  to  that  refer- 
ring to  circumcision  just  quoted.  Neither  rite, 
therefore,  necessarily  conveyed  the  grace  of 
which  they  were  the  signs,  and  to  neither  is  any 
value  ascribed  apart  from  the  spiritual  change 
which  they  are  appointed  to  represent.  In  like 
manner,  in  reference  to  the  Lord's  supper,  the 
apostle  teaches  that,  so  far  from  the  mere  exter- 
nal act  being  necessarily  connected  with  the 
reception  of  the  benefits  of  Christ's  death,  those 
who  ate  and  drank  unworthily,  ate  and  drank 
judgment  to  themselves.  Nothing,  indeed,  can 
be  more  opposed  to  the  whole  spirit  of  the  reli- 
gion of  the  Bible,  than  the  doctrine  that  exter- 
nal rites  are  necessarily  connected  with  spiritual 
blessings;   that  the  favour  of  God  is  to  be  ob- 

*  1  Pet.  iii.  21. 


PROFESSION  OF   RELIGION.  265 

tained  by  mere  unresisting  submission  to  reli- 
gious ceremonies.  A  man  may  be  baptized,  or 
circumcised  on  the  eighth  day,  he  may  belong  to 
the  purest  and  most  apostolic  church,  he  may  be 
blameless  as  touching  all  the  external  prescrip- 
tions of  the  gospel,  and  still  be  destitute  of  the 
grace  of  God  and  unprepared  for  his  presence. 
It  is  not  by  works  of  righteousness,  much  less 
by  ceremonial  observances,  that  we  are  to  be 
saved,  but  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ  and  the 
renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  He  is  not  a 
Christian  who  is  one  outwardly,  nor  is  that  bap- 
tism which  is  outward  in  the  flesh;  but  he  is  a 
Christian  who  is  one  inwardly,  and  the  baptism 
which  is  unto  salvation,  is  of  the  heart,  in  the 
spirit  and  not  in  the  letter. 

In  the  third  place,  that  the  sacraments  are 
not  designed  to  convey  grace  to  those  who  have 
it  not,  is  plain  because  the  Scriptures  require 
those  who  are  admitted  to  these  ordinances  to 
make  a  profession  of  their  faith  and  repentance. 
When  the  apostles  began  to  preach,  we  are  told 
that.  Those  that  gladly  received  the  word  were 
baptized.*  When  the  eunuch  desired  to  be  bap- 
tized, Philip  said  to  him.  If  thou  belie  vest  with 
all  thy  heart,  thou  mayest.f  Cornelius  did  not 
receive  the  Holy  Spirit  in  the  first  instance  by 
baptism,  but  when  Peter  had  evidence  that  he 
had  already  received  the  Spirit,  he  asked,  Can 


*  Acts  ii.  41.  f  Acts  viii.  37. 

23 


266  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

any  man  forbid  water,  that  these  should  not  be 
baptized,  which  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost 
as  well  as  we  1^'  Paul  was  a  penitent  believer 
before  his  baptism;  and  thus  in  all  other  cases 
when  men  were  baptized,  they  professed  to  be 
Christians.  They  were  not  made  Christians  by 
their  admission  to  the  sacraments;  but  their 
Christian  character  or  standing  was  thereby  ac- 
knowledged. It  has  accordingly  been  the  custom 
in  all  ages  to  require  a  profession  of  faith  on  the 
part  of  those  who  are  received  1^3  sealing  ordi- 
nances. But  faith  is  an  exercise  of  a  renewed 
heart;  and  if  faith  supposes  regeneration,  and 
baptism  supposes  faith,  then  by  the  voice  of  the 
church  as  well  as  of  Scripture,  baptism  also  sup- 
poses the  renovation  of  the  heart. 

Finally,  God  bears  his  testimony  against  the 
doctrine  which  teaches  an  inseparable  connection 
between  these  ordinances  and  spiritual  blessings, 
by  granting  these  blessings  to  those  who  have 
not  received  any  sacramental  rite.  Abraham 
was  justified  before  he  was  circumcised;  Corne- 
lius was  a  just  man,  and  accepted  of  God,  and  a 
recipient  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  before  he  was  bap- 
tized; the  penitent  thief  was  assured  of  his 
admission  into '  paradise  though  he  was  never 
born  of  water.  If  then  the  Scriptures  require 
the  evidence  of  regeneration  in  those  who  would 
acceptably  attend  upon  the  sacraments;  if  they 

*  Acts  X.  47. 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  267 

teach  that  many  who  receive  the  outward  sign 
do  not  receive  the  inward  erace;  and  on  the 
other  hand,  that  many  receive  the  inward  grace 
who  have  not  received  the  outward  sign,  then  do 
they  also  teach  that  these  ordinances  are  not 
appointed  to  convey,  in  the  first  instance,  pardon 
and  sanctification,  but  to  be  signs  and  seals  of 
these  blessings  to  the  penitent  believer,  and  that 
to  him,  and  to  him  only  are  they  efiicacious 
means  of  grace. 

It  is,  therefore,  obvious  that  those  passages  in 
Scripture,  which  refer  our  salvation  to  baptism 
and  the  Lord's  supper,  cannot,  consistently  with 
the  plain  teaching  of  the  Bible,  be  understood 
strictly  according  to  the  letter.  At  the  same 
time  it  must  not  be  supjDosed  that  they  are  to  be 
perverted,  or  taken  in  any  other  than  their 
natural  sense;  that  is,  in  any  other  sense  than 
that  which  the  universally  received  rules  of  in- 
terpretation justify  and  require.  It  is  agreeable 
to  the  common  language  of  men  and  to  the 
usage  of  the  Scriptures,  that  when  any  declara- 
tion or  service  is  the  appointed  means  of  pro- 
fessing faith  and  obedience,  making  such  declara- 
tion or  performing  such  service  is  said  to  secure 
the  blessings  which  are  promised  to  the  faith 
thereby  professed.  It  is  said.  Whosoever  confess- 
eth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  born 
of  God;  and  again.  With  the  mouth  confession 
is  made  unto  salvation.  This  is  said  because 
confession  implies  faith;    and   no   one   supposes 


268  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

that  an  insincere,  careless,  heartless  confession 
will  secure  the  salvation  of  any  man.  Thus 
also  we  are  said  to  be  saved  by  calling  on  the 
Lord,  because  invocation  implies  trust.  In  like 
manner  we  are  said  to  be  saved  by  baptism,  be- 
cause baptism  implies  faith.  If  this  faith  be 
wanting,  baptism  can  do  us  no  more  good  than  a 
heartless  confession.  There  is  no  more  difficulty 
in  understanding  why  the  Scriptures  should  con- 
nect salvation  with  the  use  of  the  sacraments, 
than  in  understanding  why  they  should  connect 
the  same  blessing  with  invocation  or  confession. 
There  is  no  difficulty  in  either  case,  if  we  allow 
the  Scriptures  to  explain  themselves,  and  inter- 
pret them  as  we  explain  all  other  writings. 

Again,  it  is  according  to  scriptural  usage  to 
ascribe  to  a  sign  the  name  and  attributes  of  the 
thing  signified.  Thus  circumcision  is  called  the 
covenant  of  God,  because  it  was  the  sign  of  that 
covenant.  Christ  called  the  cup  the  new  cove- 
nant; the  wine  he  called  his  blood  and  the  bread 
his  body.  Those  who  partake  of  the  wine  are, 
therefore,  said  to  receive  his  blood,  and  of  course 
the  benefits  which  it  purchased. 

It  is  to  be  remembered,  also,  that  the  sacra- 
ments are  seals,  and  that  it  is  common  to  attri- 
bute to  any  ceremony,  by  which  an  engagement 
is  ratified,  the  efficacy  which  belongs  not  to  the 
ceremony,  but  to  the  engagement  itself  The 
ceremonial  of  inauguration  is  said  to  induct  a 
man  into  the  office,  the  right  to  which  it  merely 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  269 

publicly  declares  and  confirms.  Even  in  the 
strict  language  of  the  law,  a  deed,  with  its  signa- 
ture and  seal,  is  said  to  convey  a  right  of  pro- 
perty, although  it  is  simply  the  evidence  of  the 
purpose  of  the  original  possessor.  It  is  that 
purpose  which  conveys  the  right,  and  if  it  can 
be  shown  that  the  man  who  holds  the  deed  was 
not  the  man  intended  by  the  grantor,  the  deed 
would  be  resiarded  as  worthless.  If  a  man  deeds 
an  estate  to  A,  on  the  assumption  that  he  is  the 
son  of  B,  should  it  be  proved  that  A  was  not  the 
son  of  B,  the  deed  would  convey  to  him  no  valid 
title.  But  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  are  de- 
clared to  be  intended  for  penitent  believers;  the 
sacraments  are  the  external  means  of  recognising 
the  conveyance  of  these  blessings;  to  those  who 
are  really  what  they  profess  to  be,  they  do  in 
fact  convey  and  secure  these  blessings;  to  others 
they  confer  no  such  benefits.  When  an  unbe- 
liever receives  these  ordinances,  he  no  more  ob- 
tains a  title  to  the  blessings  which  they  repre- 
sent, than  a  man  obtains  a  title  to  an  estate  by 
falsely  assuming  the  name  of  the  person  for 
whom  it  is  intended. 

There  is  nothing,  therefore,  in  the  language  of 
the  Scriptures  on  this  subject,  which  is  not  per- 
fectlv  consistent  with  the  common  Protestant 
doctrine  that  the  sacraments  have  no  inherent 
efficacy  of  their  own,  but  become  efficacious 
means  of  grace  to  those  who  believe;  the  Holy 
Spirit  thereby  communicating  to  believers  the 

23* 


270  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

blessings   of    which   those   ordinances    are    the 
significant  representations. 

Section  III. — Obligation  to  attend  upon  the  Sacra- 
ments—  Qualifications  for  the  proper  Discharge  of 
the  Duty, 

The  obligation  which  rests  upon  all  Christians 
to  attend  upon  the  ordinances  of  baptism  and 
the  Lord's  supper,  arises  clearly  from  what  has 
been  shown  to  be  their  nature  and  design.  We 
have  seen  that  they  are  institutions  appointed 
by  Christ  himself.  He  has  commanded  all  his 
followers  to  be  baptized  and  to  commemorate  his 
death,  in  a  prescribed  manner.  As  obedience  to 
Christ  is  necessary,  so  is  a  participation  of  these 
ordinances.  As,  however,  it  is  a  necessity  arising 
out  of  a  positive  command,  it  is  a  qualified  ne- 
cessity, since  such  commands  are  not  binding 
under  all  circumstances.  It  is  impossible  that  a 
sinner  should  be  saved  without  faith  and  repeid- 
ance;  but  it  is  not  impossible  that  he  should  be 
saved  without  the  sacraments.  As  we  are  boi  nd 
to  keep  the  Sabbath  as  part  of  our  obedience  to 
God,  and  yet  may  innocently  labour  on  that  day 
when  necessity  or  mercy  requires  it;  so  although 
bound  to  present  ourselves  at  the  table  of  the 
Lord  as  an  act  of  obedience,  we  may  be  inno- 
cently absent,  whenever  that  absence  is  not  the 
eiFect  of  a  wilful  or  disobedient  spirit.  As,  hc-w- 
ever,  the  command  of  Christ  on  this  subje  i   Is 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  271 

express,  the  obligation  which  it  imposes  is  of  the 
strongest  character. 

In  the  second  place,  it  has  been  shown  that  to 
confess  Christ  before  men  is  an  indispensable 
duty,  and  that  the  sacraments  are  the  appointed 
means  for  making  this  confession;  it  follows, 
therefore,  that  attendance  on  the  sacraments  is 
also  an  indispensable  duty.  When  in  human 
governments  the  laws  prescribe  a  particular  mode 
in  which  we  are  to  acknowledge  allegiance  to 
our  country,  it  is  not  competent  for  us  to  neglect 
that  mode;  nor  have  we  a  right  to  adopt  a  differ- 
ent method  of  acknowledgment,  or  to  suffer  our 
allegiance  to  be  inferred  from  our  conduct.  If 
we  wish  to  be  recognised  as  citizens,  we  must,  in 
the  prescribed  form,  acknowledge  ourselves  such. 
And  if  Christ  has  j)rescribed  a  particular  way  in 
which  he  will  be  acknowledged  by  his  followers, 
intelligently  and  wdlfully  to  refuse  obedience  to 
his  command,  is  to  renounce  our  allegiance  to 
him  and  to  forfeit  the  benefits  of  his  kingdom. 

Again,  as  the  sacraments  are  the  seals  of  the 
covenant  of  grace,  to  reject  these  seals  is  to  re- 
ject the  covenant  itself.  It  is  not  meant  that 
they  are  in  such  a  sense  indispensable  that  if  a 
man  perform  the  conditions  of  the  covenant,  he 
will  be  excluded  from  its  benefits,  for  the  want 
of  the  seals.  Among  men,  indeed,  we  often  see 
that  the  want  of  the  prescribed  number  of  wit- 
nesses to  a  signature,  the  want  of  a  seal,  or  even 
a  clerical  error  in  a  document,  is  sufficient  to  set 


272  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

aside  a  solemn  engagement.  Nothing  of  this 
kind  can  occur  under  the  government  of  God, 
where  justice  is  never  embarrassed  by  technical 
formalities.  The  apostle  expressly  teaches  that 
as  circumcision  becomes  uncircumcision,  if  the 
law  be  broken^  so,  on  the  other  hand,  if  a  man 
keep  the  law,  his  uncircumcision  shall  be  counted 
for  circumcision.  It  is  admitted,  therefore,  that 
if  a  man  has  the  faith,  repentance  and  obedience 
required  by  the  gospel,  his  salvation  is  secure. 
But  no  man  has  a  right  to  assume  that  he  has 
this  faith  and  repentance,  who  neglects  to  obey 
the  commands  of  Christ.  The  essential  condi- 
tions of  salvation  have  been  the  same  under 
every  dispensation.  If  any  man,  under  the  old 
economy,  had  the  faith  of  Abraham,  he  was  en- 
titled to  the  blessings  promised  to  Abraham. 
Nevertheless,  as  circumcision  was  the  appointed 
means  of  expressing  that  faith,  and  of  accepting 
the  covenant  of  which  it  was  the  condition,  it 
was  expressly  declared,  that  the  uncircumcised 
man-child,  whose  flesh  of  his  foreskin  is  not  cir- 
cumcised, that  soul  shall  be  cut  off  from  his 
people ;  he  hath  broken  my  covenant.*  Is  it 
not  equally  true  that  those  who  intelligently  and 
wilfully  neglect  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper, 
break  the  covenant  under  which  the  church  is 
now  placed?  It  will  not  do  for  us  to  say,  if  we 
have  the  substance,  the  form  is  of  little  account. 

*  Gen.  xvii.  14. 


PROFESSION   OF    RELIGION.  273 

We  all  know  that  if  an  ancient  Israelite  had 
repentance  toward  God  and  faith  in  the  promised 
Messiah,  his  sins  were  forgiven ;  and  yet  unless 
he  expressed  his  faith  by  bringing  the  appointed 
sacrifice  to  the  altar,  he  was  not  forgiven.  God 
saw  fit  that  the  mode  of  pardon  should  be  thus 
exhibited  and  recognised.  In  like  manner  he 
now  requires  that  the  method  of  salvation  should 
be  publicly  acknowledged  and  set  forth  in  the 
ordinances  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper. 
We  do,  therefore,  as  really  reject  the  covenant 
of  God  by  neglecting  these  ordinances,  as  did 
the  Israelites  who  rejected  circumcision  or  the 
offering  of  sacrifices. 

Another  illustration  of  this  subject  may  be 
borrowed  from  the  marriage  contract.  The  es- 
sence of  the  covenant  is  the  mutual  consent  of 
parties.  But  in  all  civilized  countries  some  pub- 
lic manifestation  of  that  consent  is  essential  to 
the  validity  of  the  engagement.  Thus,  also,  the 
essence  of  our  covenant  with  God  is  repentance 
and  faith;  but  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper 
being  the  divinely  appointed  means  of  signifying 
and  ratifying  the  engagement,  they  can  no  more 
be  neglected  than  the  public  recognition  of  the 
marriage  covenant. 

It  was  L  fatal  perversion  when  the  Jews  ima- 
gined that  circumcision  and  sacrifices  without 
faith  and  obedience,  were  effectual  to  salvation, 
and  it  is  no  less  a  fatal  delusion  to  imagine  that 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  without  those  in- 


274  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

ward  graces  can  secure  the  favour  of  God.  But 
in  avoiding  one  extreme,  we  must  not  run  into 
the  opposite.  Though  the  ancient  sacrifices 
without  faith  were  an  abomination  to  the  Lord ; 
the  sacrifices  were  still,  by  divine  appointment, 
necessary;  and  although  the  Christian  ordi- 
nances, without  the  grace  which  they  repre- 
sent, are  empty  forms,  they  too,  by  divine  ap- 
pointment, are  obligatory,  and  in  their  place, 
essential. 

No  Christian,  however,  needs  to  be  forced  by 
stress  of  authority  to  yield  obedience  to  the 
commands  of  Christ.  It  is  enough  for  him  that 
it  is  the  will  of  his  Saviour  that  the  truths  and 
blessings  of  the  gospel  should  be  exhibited  and 
commemorated  by  the  perpetual  observance  of 
the  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper. 
Though  he  were  unable  to  see  any  fitness  in  such 
observance,  or  though  experience  taught  him  no- 
thing of  its  value,  yet  would  he  cheerfully  obey. 
Much  more  may  he  be  expected  to  yield  a  ready 
obedience,  when  he  knows  both  from  Scripture 
and  experience,  that  these  ordinances  are  made 
to  the  believer  the  channels  of  divine  blessings; 
that  they  are  means  of  grace  and  sources  of  the 
purest  spiritual  enjoyments;  that  they  bring 
him  into  communion  with  Christ  and  unite  him 
in  holy  fellowship  with  all  his  brethren.  He 
knows  that  to  neglect  these  divine  institutions  is 
not  only  to  violate  a  command  of  God  and  to 
break  his  covenant;  it  is  to  refuse  to  be  fed  at 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  2X5 

his  table,  and  to  reject  the  provision  which  he 
has  made  for  the  life  of  our  souls. 

If  the  sacraments  are  such  important  means 
of  grace,  and  if  attendance  upon  them  is  a  duty 
so  plainly  enjoined  in  the  word  of  God,  it  is 
important  to  inquire  what  are  the  proper  qualifi- 
cations for  the  acceptable  discharge  of  this  duty. 

In  considering  this  subject  we  must  not  con- 
found the  qualifications  which  the  church  has  a 
right  to  demand  of  those  who  present  themselves 
as  candidates  for  Christian  communion,  with 
those  which  such  candidates  are  bound  to  seek 
in  themselves.  The  church  cannot  judge  the 
heart;  she  can  only  require  a  credible  profession. 
It  is  her  duty  to  explain  the  nature  of  the  gospel, 
wath  its  promises  and  commands,  and  to  state 
clearly  what  is  the  nature  of  the  service  in 
w^hich  those  engage,  who  profess  to  embrace  the 
offers  of  salvation.  Those  who,  w^hen  thus  in- 
structed, declare  that  they  accept  the  ofiers  of 
divine  mercy,  and  purpose  to  live  in  obedience 
to  the  divine  commands,  she  receives  into  com- 
munion, unless  there  be  some  tangible  evidence 
of  the  insincerity  of  their  professions.  This  she 
does,  not  because  she  judges  them  to  be  true 
Christians,  but  because  they  profess  the  qualifica- 
tions which  alone  she  has  a  right  to  demand. 
No  priest  under  the  old  dispensation  ever  ven- 
tured to  debar  a  man  from  the  altar,  because  in 
his  own  mind  he  might  judge  him  to  be  desti- 
tute of  the  faith  and  penitence  implied  in  the 


276  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

fict  of  presenting  a  sacrifice.  If  the  offerer  had 
the  external  qualifications  prescribed  by  the  law, 
he  was  admitted.  To  Him  who  searches  the 
heart,  it  was  left  to  decide  upon  his  spiritual 
state.  Thus,  also,  under  the  gospel  dispensation, 
we  find  the  apostles  baptizing  and  admitting  to 
the  Lord's  supper  all  who  made  the  requisite 
profession,  and  against  whom  no  visible  evidence 
of  insincerity  could  be  produced.  Whatever  was 
considered  a  sufiicient  reason  for  excommuni- 
cating a  church  member,  was  of  course  regarded 
as  sufficient  to  exclude  an  applicant  for  admis- 
sion. It  is  of  importance  to  remember  that  the 
church  does  not  profess  to  decide  that  all  those 
are  true  Christians  whom  she  admits  to  her 
communion.  Of  their  inward  sincerity  she  can- 
not judge;  to  their  own  master  they  must  stand 
or  fall.  Many  are  no  doubt  confirmed  in  a  false 
judgment  of  themselves,  because  they  consider 
their  admission  to  the  church  to  be  an  expres- 
sion of  the  judgment  of  their  pastor,  or  brethren, 
that  they  are  what  they  profess  to  be.  It  is 
natural  for  them  to  think  well  of  themselves, 
when  they  consider  experienced  Christians  as 
pronouncing  a  favourable  judgment  of  their 
spiritual  state.  But  they  should  remember  that 
it  is  not  the  prerogative  of  the  church  to  judge 
the  heart;  she  must  receive  all  who  have  the 
external  qualifications  which  the  Scriptures  re- 
quire. 

But  though  the  church  is  obliged  to  confine 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  277 

lier  demands  to  a  credible  profession  of  faith 
and  repentance,  it  is  the  duty  of  those  who 
seek  admission  to  her  communion  to  see  that 
they  have  all  the  qualifications  which  the  na- 
ture of  the  service  demands.  These  qualifica- 
tions may  all  be  reduced  to  knowledge  and 
piety. 

Did  the  Scriptures  teach  that  the  sacraments 
had  an  inherent  efficacy  of  their  own ;  that  the 
water  of  baptism  had  power  to  wash  away  sin, 
and  the  bread  and  wine  a  virtue  to  sustain  spi- 
ritual life,  then  indeed  they  might  be  adminis- 
tered to  the  ignorant,  the  insensible,  or  the 
dying.  But  if  we  are  taught  that  the  efficacy 
both  of  the  word  and  ordinances  depends  not 
on  them,  nor  on  those  who  administer  them, 
but  on  the  Holy  Spirit,  revealing  and  applying 
the  truth  thereby  exhibited,  then  it  is  plain 
that  they  must  be  understood  in  order  to  be 
beneficial.  It  is  one  of  the  most  important  doc- 
trines of  the  Bible  that  God  sanctifies  his  people 
throu^'h  the  truth.     But  truth  is  not  truth  to 

o 

him  who  does  not  understand  it.  If  you  rejDcat 
to  an  i ignorant  man  a  mathematical  formula, 
although  it  may  contain  a  proposition  of  the 
highest  value,  to  him  it  is  nothing.  It  com- 
municates no  idea  to  his  mind,  and  can  produce 
no  effect  upon  it.  Or  if  you  tell  him  that  God 
has  set  forth  his  Son  to  be  a  propitiation  for  our 
sins  through  faith  in  his  blood,  if  he  does  not 

understand  the  meaning  of  the  words,  it  is  as 

24 


278  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

though  he  never  heard  them.  We,  therefore, 
do  not  preach  in  an  unknown  tongue;  nor  do 
we  send  Hebrew  Bibles  to  the  Hindoos,  or  the 
Greek  Scriptures  to  the  Hottentots.  Unless 
the  truth  is  understood,  it  is  not  present  to  the 
mind,  and  cannot  operate  upon  it.  In  like 
manner,  unless  the  sacraments  are  understood 
by  those  who  receive  them,  they  are,  for  them, 
an  unmeaning  ceremony.  They  either  exhibit 
nothing,  or  they  excite  erroneous  views  and  ap- 
prehensions. We  degrade  the  Scriptures  into 
formulas  of  incantation,  and  the  sacraments  into 
magical  rites,  if  we  suppose  a  knowledge  of  their 
meaning  to  be  unnecessary.  God  is  a  Spirit, 
and  they  who  worship  him  must  worship  him 
in  spirit — intelligently,  as  well  as  sincerely  and 
inwardly.  It  is,  therefore,  essential  to  a  proper 
attendance  on  the  sacraments  that  we  should 
know  what  they  are  designed  to  represent,  wdiat 
benefits  they  confer  and  what  obligations  they 
impose.  When  they  are  thus  understood;  when 
the  believer  sees  in  them  the  clear  exhibition  of 
the  truths  and  promises  of  the  gospel,  and  knows 
that  they  w^ere  appointed  to  be  the  means  of  his 
confessing  Christ  before  men,  and  to  ratify  the 
gracious  covenant  of  God  wdth  his  soul,  he  then 
really  receives  the  spiritual  blessings  of  which 
the  sacraments  are  the  outward  signs. 

The  knowledge  requisite  to  a  proper  under- 
standing of  the  sacraments  includes  a  knowledge 
of    all    the    essential   doctrines   of   the    gospel. 


PROFESSION   OF   EELIGION.  279 

When  a  man  is  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  of  the  Son  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
unless  these  sacred  names  represent  to  his  mind 
some  definite  idea ;  unless  he  knows  them  to  be 
the  names  of  the  persons  of  the  Godhead,  he 
cannot  know  what  he  does  in  submitting  to  be 
baptized.  He  does  not  acknowledge  Jehovah ; 
nor  does  he  receive  him  as  his  covenant  God, 
Redeemer  and  Sanctifier.  As  baptism  is  de- 
signed to  signify  and  seal  our  union  with  Christ, 
and  our  deliverance  through  him  from  the  guilt 
and  dominion  of  sin,  unless  we  know  ourselves 
to  be  sinners,  and  know  that  it  is  necessary  for 
us  to  be  united  to  Christ,  and  by  his  blood  and 
Spirit  to  be  pardoned  and  renewed,  the  ordi- 
nance for  us  loses  all  its  significancy.  Thus  a 
knowledge  of  the  truth  concerning  God,  con- 
cerning sin,  atonement  and  regeneration  is  essen- 
tial to  a  proper  participation  of  this  ordinance. 
And  as  the  Lord's  supper  is  intended  to  be  a 
memorial  of  the  death  of  Christ,  unless  we  know 
who  he  was,  why  he  died  and  what  benefits  his 
death  secures,  we  are  incapable  of  profitable 
joining  in  this  service.  All  the  affections  must 
have  an  appropriate  object.  If  we  love,  we  love 
something ;  if  we  fear,  we  fear  something ;  if  we 
desire,  we  desire  something.  There  can  be  nei- 
ther faith,  nor  love,  nor  penitence,  nor  hope,  nor 
gratitude,  but  as  objects  suited  to  these  exercises 
are  present  to  the  mind;  and  the  nature  of  these 
exercises  depends  upon  the  nature  of  the  objects 


280  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

which  call  them  forth.  If  they  are  excited  by 
the  truth,  they  are  right  and  good ;  and  just  in 
proportion  to  the  clearness  with  which  the  truth 
is  spiritually  discerned,  will  be  the  purity  and 
strength  of  the  religious  emotions.  Knowledge, 
therefore,  is  essential  to  religion. 

We  must  not  suppose,  however,  that  know- 
ledge and  learning  are  synonymous  terms,  or 
that  all  knowledge  is  derived  from  without, 
through  the  medium  of  the  understanding. 
Yery  far  from  it.  A  large  part  of  our  know- 
ledge is  derived  from  our  own  consciousness  or 
inward  experience.  The  same  external  revelar 
tion  may  be  presented  to  two  equally  intelligent 
men ;  if  the  one  is  made,  by  the  Spirit  of  God, 
to  feel  in  accordance  with  the  truth,  and  the 
other  is  destitute  of  such  feelings,  the  former 
wdll  possess  a  knowledge  of  which  the  latter 
has  no  conception.  He  will  have  an  insight 
into  the  nature  of  the  things  revealed,  and  into 
their  truth  and  value,  which  is  due  entirely  to 
what  passes  within  his  own  bosom.  These  men, 
although  they  may  be  equal  in  learning,  will 
difler  greatly  in  knowledge.  We  accordingly 
find  that  the  ignorant,  among  God's  people,  have 
often  far  more  knowledge  of  religious  truth,  than 
many  learned  men.  They  have  more  correct 
views  of  its  nature;  and  the  words  by  which  it 
is  expressed  excite  in  their  minds  far  more  defi- 
nite conceptions  c^  the  real  objects  of  the  reli- 
gious  affections.      As,   however,   God   does   not 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION".  281 

reveal  new  truths,  but  sanctifies  his  people  by 
his  word,  there  must  be  external  instruction  in 
order  to  this  inward  spiritual  knowledge ;  hence 
ignorance  of  the  truths  revealed  in  the  Scrip- 
tures, as  it  is  inconsistent  with  the  existence  of 
right  religious  feelings,  or,  in  other  words,  with 
religion  itself,  so  it  is  inconsistent,  with  the  pro- 
per participation  of  those  ordinances  by  which 
those  truths  are  set  forth  and  confirmed. 

The  other  qualifications  for  an  acceptable  par- 
ticipation of  the  sacraments  are  naturally  sug- 
gested by  the  view  given  of  their  nature.  As 
they  are  the  appointed  means  for  making  a  pub- 
lic profession  of  religion,  it  is  of  course  requisite 
that  w^e  should  be  and  believe  what  we  therein 
profess.  The  substance  of  this  profession  is  that 
we  are  Christians ;  that  we  believe  in  Christ  as 
the  Redeemer  of  sinners;  that  we  accept  of  the 
terms  of  salvation  proposed  in  the  gospel,  and 
purpose  to  live  in  obedience  to  its  commands. 
If  we  have  not  this  faith ;  if  we  do  not  thus 
purpose  to  renounce  our  sins  and  live  unto  God, 
then  do  we  make  a  false  profession,  and  our  ser- 
vice must  be  unacceptable  to  God. 

Viewing  the  sacraments  as  seals  of  the  cove- 
nant of  grace,  it  is  plain  that  they  require  the 
qualifications  just  mentioned  in  those  who  re- 
ceive them.  That  covenant  relates  to  deliver- 
ance from  sin.  God  therein  engages  to  grant 
us  salvation ;    and  we  engage  to  accept  of  his 

mercy  on  the  terms  on  which  it  is  oflered.     If 

24* 


282  PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

he  promises  to  be  our  God,  we  promise  to  be  his 
people.  But  how  can  those  who  love  sin,  and 
are  determined  not  to  forsake  it,  enter  into  this 
solemn  engagement  with  God  ?  How  can  those 
who  have  no  sense  of  their  need  of  pardon,  no 
desire  for  holiness,  no  sorrow  for  past  transgres- 
sions, thus  covenant  with  God  for  forgiveness, 
sanctification  and  eternal  life  ? 

With  regard  to  the  Lord's  supper,  we  are 
taught  that  it  was  specially  designed  to  be  a 
memorial  of  Christ's  death.  If  we  join  in  cele- 
brating his  death,  we  profess^  to  believe  not  only 
that  he  died,  but  that  he  was  all  that  he  claimed 
to  be ;  that  his  death  secures  the  benefits  which 
the  Scriptures  attribute  to  it;  and  that  we  are 
bound  to  aid  in  keeping  this  great  event  in  per- 
petual remembrance.  The  proper  discharge  of 
this  duty  requires  that  w^e  should  have  a  due 
sense  of  our  obligations  to  Christ  for  having 
loved  us  and  given  himself  for  us.  It  requires 
that  we  should  reverence  and  love  him  in  some 
measure  in  proportion  to  his  excellence  and  the 
value  of  the  blessings  which  we  receive  from 
him.  It  requires  that  we  should  be  prepared  to 
own  him,  who  by  wicked  hands  was  crucified 
and  slain,  as  our  Lord  and  Saviour,  and  as  such 
to  obey  and  trust  him. 

In  whatever  light,  therefore,  the  sacraments 
are  viewed,  whether  as  the  means  of  publicly 
confessing  Christ,  or  as  signs  and  seals  of  spirit- 
ual blessings,  or  as  commemorative  of  the  work 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  283 

of  redemption,  no  man  can  profitably  or  accept- 
ably attend  upon  them,  without  adequate  know- 
ledge of  their  nature,  without  faith  in  the 
truths  which  they  represent  and  confirm,  or 
without  the  penitence,  gratitude  and  love  which 
those  truths,  when  really  believed,  necessarily 
produce.  Where  this  knowledge,  faith  and  lov<* 
are  found,  there  are  the  requisite  qualifications 
for  acceptable  attendance  on  the  sacraments; 
where  they  are  wanting,  such  attendance  must 
include  false  professions  and  insincere  promises. 

We  must  not,  however,  suppose  that  the  want 
of  these  qualifications  frees  us  from  the  obliga- 
tion to  obey  the  command  of  Christ  to  be  bap* 
tized  and  to  commemorate  his  death.  We  are 
certainly  bound  to  worship  God,  though  desti- 
tute of  the  reverence,  faith  and  love  which  such 
worship  requires ;  and  the  plea  of  unfitness  for 
the  service  cannot  justify  us  in  absenting  our- 
selves from  the  ordinances  which  Christ  has 
appointed.  If  we  fear  to  assume  the  responsi- 
bility of  a  public  profession  of  religion,  we  should 
remember  that  we  make  such  profession  every 
time  we  join  in  the  public  worship  of  the  sanc- 
tuary. If  we  say  we  should  offend  God  by  ap- 
proaching his  table  without  due  preparation,  let 
us  remember  that  we  offend  him  every  time  we 
pray,  or  hear  the  gospel,  without  faith,  penitence, 
and  obedience.  It  is  in  vain  to  attempt  to  intro 
duce  consistency  into  a  half  religious  life.     If 


284  PEOFESSION   OF   RELIGION. 

men  will  renounce  all  claim  to  be  of  the  number 
of  God's  people,  and  reject  his  service  entirely, 
they  may  so  far  be  consistent.  But  they  can- 
not choose  one  part  of  his  service  and  reject 
another;  they  cannot  profess  to  be  penitent  and 
believing  by  joining  in  the  worship  of  God,  and 
declare  themselves  impenitent  and  unbelieving 
by  absenting  themselves  from  the  sacraments. 
They  do  not  place  themselves  on  neutral  ground 
by  such  inconsistency.  Their  only  safe  and  pro- 
per course  is  to  repent  and  believe.  Then  will 
they  be  acceptable  worshippers  and  acceptable 
communicants.  If  they  frequent  the  temple  of 
God  with  a  sincere  desire  to  do  his  will,  and 
seek  his  favour,  let  them,  in  the  same  state  of 
mind,  obey  all  his  commands.  If  they  come  to 
the  Lord's  table  to  please  Christ,  to  obey  his 
will,  to  express  their  gratitude  for  his  death,  let 
them  come.  As  their  day  is,  so  shall  their 
strength  be. 

From  the  review  of  this  whole .  subject,  it  is 
clear  that  the  public  confession  of  Christ  is  an 
indispensable  condition  of  discipleship;  that  this 
confession  must  be  made  by  attending  on  the 
ordinances  which  he  has  appointed;  that  these 
ordinances  are  not  only  the  signs  and  seals  of 
spiritual  blessings,  but  are  made,  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  to  the  believer,  effectual  means  of  grace; 
that  attendance  upon  them  is,  therefore,  an  indis- 
pensable duty,  requiring  no  other  qualifications 


PROFESSION   OF   RELIGION.  285 

than  such  as  are  necessary  for  the  acceptable 
worship  of  God;  and,  consequently,  that  it  is  in- 
cumbent" on  all  those  who  sincerely  desire  to 
serve  and  honour  Christ,  and  to  partake  of  his 
salvation,  to  receive  the  sacraments,  in  obedience 
to  his  will. 


286  HOLY   LIVING. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Section  I. — The  Nature  of  True  Religion. 

It  is  natural  that  those  who  have  experienced 
the  agitations  which  frequently  attend  upon  con- 
version, and  have  felt  the  peace  which  flows 
from  a  hope  of  acceptance  with  God,  to  imagine 
that  the  conflict  is  over,  the  victory  won,  and 
the  work  of  religion  accomplished.  This  imagi- 
nation is  soon  dissipated.  Birth  is  not  the  whole 
of  life;  neither  is  conversion  the  whole  of  reli- 
gion. A  young  mother  may,  in  the  fulness  of 
her  joy,  forget  for  a  moment  that  her  vocation 
as  a  mother  is  but  just  begun;  but  when  she 
looks  upon  her  infant,  so  wonderful  in  its  organi- 
zation and  instinct  with  an  immortal  spirit,  the 
sight  of  its  helplessness  makes  her  feel  how 
great  a  work  she  has  still  to  do.  An  hour's  neg- 
lect might  prove  the  ruin  of  her  hopes.  Thus 
the  young  Christian,  although  at  first  disposed 
to  tliink  that  his  work  is  finished,  soon  finds  that 
the  feeble  principle  of  spiritual  life  needs  to  be 
watched  and  nourished  with  ceaseless  care.  If 
abandoned  at  its  birth,  it  must  perish  as  cer- 
tainly and  as  speedily  as  an  exposed  infant. 


HOLY   LIYIXG.  287 

Another  mistake  on  this  subject  is  made  by 
those  who  suppose  that  religion  is  a  fitful  sort  of 
life;  an  alternation  of  excitement  and  insensi- 
bility. Those  who  labour  under  this  delusion, 
are  religious  only  on  certain  occasions.  They 
live  contentedly  for  months  in  unconcern,  and 
then,  if  they  can  be  moved  to  tenderness  or  joy, 
they  are  satisfied  with  the  prosj)ect  of  another 
period  of  collapse.  No  form  of  life  is  thus  in- 
termittent. Neither  plants  nor  animals  thus 
live.  Men  do  not,  when  in  health,  pass  from 
convulsions  to  fainting,  and  from  fainting  to  con- 
vulsions; nor  does  religion,  when  genuine,  ever 
assume  this  form.  It  has,  indeed,  its  alternations, 
as  there  are  periods  of  health  and  sickness,  of 
vigour  and  lassitude  in  the  animal  frame;  but 
just  so  far  as  it  deserves  the  name  of  religion,  it 
is  steady,  active  and  progressive;  and  not  a 
series  of  spasms. 

It  is  a  still  more  common  error  to  suppose 
that  religion  is  rathier  an  external  than  an  inter- 
nal service.  There  are  multitudes  who  consider 
themselves  to  be  religious,  because  they  attend 
upon  religious  services;  who  suppose  that  a  regu- 
lar attendance  upon  pujjlic  worship  and  the  out- 
ward forms  of  religion  is  enough  to  entitle  them 
to  the  character  of  Christians. 

The  Scriptures  teach  us  that  religion  is  a  new, 
spiritual  life.  Its  commencement  is,  therefore, 
called  a  new  birth,  a  creation,  a  spiritual  resur- 
rection.    It  is,  as  to  its  principle  or  source,  mys- 


288  HOLY   LIVING. 

lerious.  No  man  can  tell  what  life  is.  He  sees 
its  different  forms  in  vegetables,  animals,  and  in 
tlie  rational  soul;  but  he  cannot  detect  the  secret 
spring  of  these  different  kinds  of  activity.  The 
nature  of  spiritual  life  is  not  less  inscrutable. 
The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth ;  ye  hear  the 
sound  thereof,  but  ye  cannot  tell  whence  it 
Cometh,  nor  whither  it  goeth.  So  is  every  one 
that  is  born  of  the  Spirit.  A  new  kind  of 
activity  manifests  itself  in  the  soul  that  is  born 
of  God;  but  whence  that  activity  springs,  and 
how  it  is  maintained,  are  among  the  secret  things 
of  God.  We  cannot  doubt,  however,  that  there 
is  some  permanent  cause  of  those  new  exercises. 
We  know  that  the  life  of  the  body  does  not  con- 
sist in  the  acts  of  seeing,  hearing,  tasting,  &c. ; 
nor  does  the  soul  consist  of  thought  and  volition; 
neither  does  spiritual  life  consist  in  the  acts 
w^iich  manifest  its  existence.  There  is  in  re- 
generation a  change  effected  in  the  state  of  the 
soul  which  accounts  for  its  perceptions,  purposes 
and  feelings  being  different  from  what  they  were 
before,  and  for  their  so  continuing.  The  cause 
of  this  difference  is  sometimes  called  a  new  heart, 
or  grace,  or  the  spirit,  or  the  new  man,  or  the 
renewal  of  the  inner  man.  All  these  terms  are 
used  to  designate  the  principle  of  spiritual  life, 
which  manifests  itself  in  the  fruits  of  holiness. 
It  is  called  life  because  it  is  thus  permanent,  or 
abiding.  Those  who  for  a  time  manifest  a  de- 
gree of  ardour  and  activity  in  relation  to  religion 


HOLY   LIVING.  289 

and  then  lose  all  interest  in  the  subject,  are  like 
dead  bodies  on  which  electricity  may  for  a  while 
produce  some  of  the  appearances  of  animation, 
but  which  soon  become  insensible  to  all  means 
of  excitement.  In  such  cases  there  is  no  princi- 
ple of  life.  Where  religion  is  genuine,  it  has  its 
root  in  a  new  heart,  and  is,  therefore,  permanent. 
It  is,  moreover,  characteristic  of  the  life  of 
sentient  and  rational  creatures,  to  be  spontane- 
ous in  its  exercises.  There  are  certain  acts  to 
which  it  prompts  and  in  which  it  delights.  It 
is  not  by  constraint  that  animals  eat,  or  drink, 
or  sport  in  the  consciousness  of  strength ;  nei- 
ther is  it  by  compulsion  that  men  exercise  their 
minds  in  the  reception  and  communication  of 
ideas  and  the  reciprocation  of  feeling.  To  be 
so  isolated  from  their  fellow-beings  as  to  be 
prevented  from  giving  vent  to  the  force  of 
intellectual  and  social  life,  is  the  severest  of 
all  condemnations.  In  like  manner  reverence, 
gratitude,  love,  submission,  are  the  spontaneous 
exercises  of  the  renewed  heart.  They  are  the 
free,  unbidden,  unconstrained  effusions  of  the 
soul.  That  religion  which  is  reluctant  or  forced, 
AN  h ether  by  fear  or  stress  of  conscience,  is  spu- 
rious. Filial  obedience,  if  rendered  from  a  dread 
of  punishment,  or  from  mere  regard  to  appear- 
ances, is  very  different  from  that  which  flows 
from  respect  and  love ;  and  unless  the  service 
which  we  render  to  God  flows  unbidden  from 

the  heart,  it  is  no  evidence  that  we  are  his  chil- 

25 


290  HOLY   LIVING. 

dren.  The  Bible  represents  the  people  of  God 
as  delighting  in  the  things  of  God.  His  word, 
his  ordinances,  his  sanctuary,  his  presence  are 
their  chief  joy.  When  a  man  is  ill,  he  t^akes 
little  pleasure  in  the  ordinary  sources  of  enjoy- 
ment ;  and  when  the  Christian  is  in  a  declining 
state,  he  knows  little  of  the  joy  which  belongs  to 
religion.  Still  w^hatever  there  is  of  spiritual  life 
in  any  soul,  will  manifest  itself  in  spontaneous 
exercises  of  piety. 

Again,  life,  in  all  the  forms  in  which  we  are 
acquainted  with  it,  is  progressive ;  feeble  at  the 
beginning,  it  advances  gradually  to  maturity. 
It  is  thus  in  plants,  in  animals,  and  in  the  ra- 
tional soul ;  and  it  is  thus  also  in  the  spiritual 
life.  There  is  a  joy  which  attends  the  beginning 
of  a  religious  life,  which  very  often  declines ;  a 
flict  which  may  lead  even  the  true  Christian  to 
think  that  religion  itself  is  declining  in  his  heart. 
Such  joy,  however,  is  a  very  uncertain  criterion 
of  the  progress  or  decline  of  the  spiritual  life. 
The  gambols  of  young  animals  show  an  exube- 
rance of  jo}^,  which  those  that  have  reached 
maturity  no  longer  experience.  But  how  imper- 
fect is  the  organization  of  these  playful  creatures, 
how  small  is  their  power  of  endurance,  how^  little 
their  serviceable  strength,  in  comparison  with 
that  of  those  who  know  not  half  their  joys  !  It 
is  not  unnatural,  therefore,  that  young  Chris- 
tians should  feel  a  glow  of  happiness  from  the 


HOLT   LIVING.  291 

exercise  of  feelings,  delightful  from  their  novelty 
as  well  as  from  their  nature,  which  those  more 
advanced  may  have  ceased  to  experience,  in 
whom  feeling  has  ripened  into  principle,  and 
mere  joyful  emotions  settled  into  a  peace  which 
passes  all  understanding. 

Though  joy  is  not  the  proper  criterion  of  pro- 
gress in  the  divine  life,  it  is  as  essential  to  its 
nature  to  be  progressive,  as  it  is  to  the  life  of  the 
body  to  increase  in  stature*  as  it  advances  from 
childhood  to  maturity,  or  to  that  of  the  mind  to 
gather  strength  in  its  progress  from  infancy  to 
manhood.  A  man  with  the  mind  of  an  infant 
is  an  idiot ;  he  is  destitute  of  what  belongs  to  a 
rational  being.  And  a  Christian,  who  makes  no 
progress  in  holiness,  must  be  essentially  defec- 
tive. The  surest  evidence  of  such  progress  is 
increase  of  strength;  strength  of  faith;  strength 
of  purpose ;  strength  of  principle ;  strength  to 
do  right,  to  resist  evil  and  to  endure  sufiering. 
The  people  of  God  go  from  strength  to  strength, 
perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord. 

True  religion,  then,  is  not  an  external  service; 
nor  is  it  a  mere  excitement  of  fear  and  sorrow, 
succeeded  by  peace  and  joy;  nor  is  it  a  fitful 
alternation  of  such  exercises.  It  is  a  permanent 
principle  of  action,  spontaneous  in  its  exercises 
and  progressive  in  its  nature.  These  attributes 
are  essential  to  its  genuineness,  but  they  do  not 
constitute  its  whole  character.     It  is  a  partici- 


292  HOLY   LIVING. 

pation  of  the  divine  nature,*  or  the  conformity 
of  the  soul  to  God.  It  is  described  as  the  put- 
ting off  the  old  man  with  his  deeds  and  putting 
on  the  new  man,  which  is  renewed  in  knowledge 
after  the  image  of  Him  that  created  him  ;f  or  a 
being  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  our  mind,  that 
we  may  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God 
is  created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness.J 
These  two  passages  express  the  same  truth.  To 
be  renewed  in  knowledge,  or  rather  unto  know- 
ledge, means  to  be  renewed  so  as  to  know ;  and 
knowledge  includes  the  perception,  recognition 
and  approbation  of  what  is  true  and  good.  This 
comprehensive  sense  of  the  word  is  not  unusual 
in  the  Scriptures;  and  hence  it  is  said  that  to 
know  God  and  Jesus  Christ  is  eternal  life.  Such 
knowledge  is  the  life  of  the  soul;  it  is  conformity 
to  God  in  the  perception  and  approbation  of 
truth.  No  higher  concej)tion  of  m6ral  excel- 
lence can  be  formed  than  that  which  resolves  it 
into  the  harmony  of  the  soul  with  God  in  judg- 
ment and  will.  This  is  what  in  the  parallel 
passage  the  apostle  calls  righteousness  and  holi- 
ness of  truth,  (that  is,  founded  upon  or  arising 
from  truth.)  The  same  idea  of  sanctification  is 
presented  in  Rom,  xii.  2,  when  it  is  said.  Be  ye 
transformed  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind,  that 
ye  may  prove  (or,  approve)  what  is  that  good 
and  acceptable  and  perfect  will  of  God.     This  is 

*  2  Pet.  i.  4.  t  Col.  iii.  10.  %  Eph.  iv.  24. 


HOLY   LIVING.  293 

true  religion,  to  approve  what  God  approves,  to 
hate  what  he  hates  and  to  delight  in  what  de- 
lights him. 

It  is  obvious  from  this  representation  that  the 
whole  man  is  the  subject  of  this  change.  There 
are  new  perceptions,  new  purposes  and  new 
feelings.  The  mind  becomes  more  -and  more 
enlightened,  the  will  more  submissive  to  the 
rule  of  right,  and  the  affections  more  thoroughly 
purified.  The  apostle,  in  his  Epistle  to  the 
Thessalonians,  says,  The  God  of  peace  sanctify 
you  wholly ;  and  I  pray  God  your  whole  spirit 
and  soul  and  body  be  preserved  blameless  unto 
the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.*  The 
body  is  the  subject  of  sanctification  in  various 
ways.  It  is  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,f 
and  is  therefore  holy,  as  consecrated  to  the  ser- 
vice and  hallowed  by  the  presence  of  God.  Our 
bodies  are  also  members  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  in 
virtue  of  this  union,  they  partake  of  the  benefits 
of  redemption,  and  are  hereafter  to  be  fashioned 
like  unto  his  glorious  body.  And  still  further, 
the  influence  of  the  body  upon  the  soul  is  so 
manifold,  for  good  or  evil,  and,  in  our  fallen 
state,  so  predominantly  for  evil,  that  no  small 
part  of  the  work  of  sanctification  consists  in 
counteracting  that  influence.  Paul  says  of  him- 
self, I  keep  under  my  body,  and  bring  it  into 
subjection ;    lest   that   by    any   means,  when  I 

*  1  Thess.  V.  23.  f  1  Cor.  vi.  19. 


294  HOLY   LIVING. 

have  preaclied  to  others,  I  myself  should  be  a 
castaway.*  And  he  declares  it  to  be  one  of  the 
conditions  of  life,  that  believers  should,  through 
the  Spirit,  mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body.f  The 
body,  therefore,  is  sanctified  not  only  by  redeem- 
ing it  from  the  service  of  sin  and  consecrating  it 
to  the  service  of  God,  but  also  by  restraining 
its  power  over  the  soul,  making  it  temperate  in 
its  demands  and  submissive  to  the  will  of  the 
renewed  man. 

As  the  work  of  sanctification  extends  to  all 
our  faculties,  so  the  image  of  God,  which  it  is 
designed  to  impress  upon  the  soul,  includes  all 
moral  excellence.  The  different  graces,  such  as 
love,  faith,  meekness,  kindness,  &C.5  are  but 
different  manifestations  of  one  and  the  same 
principle  of  goodness.  Not  that  justice  and  be- 
nevolence are  the  same  sentiment  or  disposition, 
for  they  are  distinct;  but  the  same  principle 
which  makes  a  man  just,  will  make  him  benevo- 
lent. Religion,  or  the  principle  of  divine  life, 
prompts  to  all  kinds  of  excellence ;  and,  in  it- 
self, as  much  to  one  as  to  another;  just  as  the 
principle  of  life,  in  plants  and  animals  and  in 
the  rational  soul,  leads  to  an  harmonious  develop- 
ment of  the  whole  in  all  its  parts.  The  root 
increases  as  the  branches  enlarge ;  the  body 
grows  as  the  several  members  increase  in  size; 
and  judgment  and  memory  gain  strength  as  the 

*  1  Cor.  ix.  27.  f  Rom.  viii.  13. 


HOLY   LIVING.  295 

other   powers  of  the  mind  increase  in  vi«'our. 
Every  thing  depends  upon  this  harmonious  pro- 
gress.    If  the  arms  retained  their  infantile  pro- 
portions, while  the  rest  of  the  body  advanced  to 
maturity,  deformity  and  helplessness  would  be 
the  result.     Or  if  judgment  and  feeling  gained 
their  full  force,  while  memory  and  conscience  re- 
mained as  in  infancy,  the  mind  would  be  com- 
pletely deranged.     The  same  law  of  symmetrical 
development  is  impressed  upon  the  life  of  the 
soul.     If  it  exists  at  all,  it  manifests  itself  in 
all  the  forms  of  goodness.     There  may  be  some 
kinds  of  excellence,  where  others   are   absent; 
but  then  such  excellence  has  not  its  source  in 
the  divine  life;  or  in  a  new  heart;  for  that,  in 
its  very  nature,  includes   all   moral  excellence. 
We  feel  it  to  be  a  contradiction  to  say  that  he 
is  a  good  man,  who,  though  just,  is  unkind ;  be- 
cause goodness  includes  both  justice  and  benevo- 
lence.    And  it  is  no  less  a  contradiction  to  say 
that  a  man  is  religious  who  is  not  honest,  be- 
cause religion  includes  honesty  as  well  as  piety. 
It  is  not  simply  intended  that  the  word  religion 
comprehends   and  expresses  all  forms  of  moral 
excellence,  but  that  the  thing  meant  by  religion, 
or  the  new  man,  the  principle  of  grace  or  of  di- 
vine life  in  the  heart,  includes  within  itself  all 
kinds  of  goodness.     Reverence,  love,  submission, 
justice,  benevolence,  are  but  different  exercises 
of  one  and  the  same  principle  of  holiness.     There 
can   be   no  holiness  without  benevolence,  none 


296  HOLY   LIVING. 

without  reverence,  none  without  justice.  The 
man,  therefore,  who  is  renewed  in  the  spirit  of 
his  mind  after  the  image  of  God,  is  one  who  has 
that  moral  excellence  which  expresses  itself,  ac- 
cording to  its  different  objects  and  occasions,  in 
all  the  various  graces  of  the  Spirit. 

The  Scriptures  give  especial  prominence  to  the 
love  of  God  as  the  most  comprehensive  and  im- 
portant of  all  the  manifestations  of  this  inward 
spiritual  life.  We  are  so  constituted  as  to  take 
delight  in  objects  suited  to  our  nature ;  and  the 
perception  of  qualities  adapted  to  our  constitu- 
tion, in  external  objects,  produces  complacency 
and  desire.  The  soul  rests  in  them  as  a  good  to 
be  loved  for  its  own  sake ;  and  the  higher  these 
qualities,  the  more  pure  and  elevated  are  the 
affections  which  they  excite.  It  is  the  effect  of 
regeneration  to  enable  us  to  perceive  and  love 
the  infinite  and  absolute  perfection  of  God,  as 
comprehending  all  kinds  of  excellence,  and  as 
suited  to  the  highest  powers  and  most  enlarged 
capacities  of  our  nature.  As  soon,  therefore,  as 
the  heart  is  renewed  it  turns  to  God,  and  rests 
in  his  excellence  as  the  supreme  object  of  com- 
placency and  desire. 

Love  to  God,  however,  is  not  mere  compla- 
cency in  moral  excellence.  It  is  the  love  of  a 
personal  being,  who  stands  in  the  most  intimate 
relations  to  ourselves,  as  the  author  of  our  exist- 
ence, as  our  preserver  and  ruler,  as  our  father, 
who  with  conscious  love  watches  over  us,  pro- 


HOLY   LIVING.  297 

tects  us,  supplies  all  our  wants,  holds  communion 
with  us,  manifesting  himself  unto  us  as  he  does 
not  unto  the  world.  The  feelings  of  dependence, 
obligation  and  relationshij),  enter  largely  into 
that  comprehensive  affection  called  the  love  of 
God.  This  affection  is  still  further  modified  by 
the  apprehension  of  the  infinite  wisdom  and 
power  of  its  object.  These  attributes  are  the 
proper  object  of  admiration ;  and,  when  infinite 
in  degree  and  united  with  infinite  goodness,  they 
excite  that  wonder,  admiration,  reverence  and 
complacency  which  constitute  adoration,  and 
which  find  in  prostration  and  worship  their  only 
adequate  expression.  There  is  no  attribute  of 
religion  more  essential  to  its  nature  than  this 
reverence  for  God.  Whenever  heaven  has  been 
opened  to  the  view  of  men,  its  inhabitants  have 
been  seen  with  their  faces  veiled  and  bowing  be- 
fore the  throne  of  God.  And  all  acceptable 
iivorship  upon  earth  proceeds  from  the  humble 
and  contrite  who  tremble  at  his  word. 

The  exercise  of  these  feelings  of  reverence 
and  love  is  either  (so  to  sj^eak)  casual,  as  the 
thoughts  of  God  pass  and  repass  through  the 
soul  during  the  busy  hours  of  the  day;  or  it  is 
more  prolonged,  when  the  soul  withdraws  from 
the  world,  and  sets  itself  in  the  presence  of  God, 
to  adore  his  excellence,  to  thank  him  for  his 
goodness,  and  to  supplicate  his  blessing.  The 
spirit  of  devotion  which  so  pre-eminently  dis- 
tinguished the  Redeemer,  dwells  in  all  his  people. 


298  HOLY   LIVING. 

They  are  all  devout;  they  all  walk  with  God; 
they  all  feel  him  to  be  near  and  rejoice  in  his 
presence;  and  they  all  have  communion  with 
him  in  acts  of  private  and  public  worship. 
There  is  no  religion  without  this  intercourse  of 
the  soul  with  God,  as  there  is  no  life  w^ithout 
w^armth  and  motion  in  the  body.  And  as  the 
body  ra]3idly  decays  when  dead;  so  the  soul 
perishes  when  not  in  communion  with  God. 

This  love  of  God  will  manifest  itself  in  sub- 
mission and  obedience.  The  former  is  an  hum- 
ble acquiescence  in  the  will  of  God,  including 
the  perception  and  acknowledgment  that  the 
commands  of  God  concerning  all  things  are  right, 
and  that  his  dispensations  are  all  wise,  merciful 
and  just.  Even  when  clouds  and  darkness  are 
round  about  him,  religion  forces  upon  us  the  con- 
viction that  justice  and  judgment  are  the  habi- 
tation of  his  throne.  The  renewed  soul,  filled 
with  the  assurance  of  the  wisdom,  power  and 
goodness  of  God,  resigns  itself  into  his  hands, 
sajdng  Thy  will  be  doxe.  When  under  the  in- 
fluence of  this  spirit,  it  is  free  from  the  discon- 
tent and  misgivings  which  destroy  the  peace  and 
aggravate  the  guilt  of  those  who  have  no  such 
confidence  that  the  judge  of  all  the  earth  will  do 
right. 

Love  to  God  must  produce  obedience,  because 
it  supposes  a  conformity  of  the  soul  to  God  in 
the  perception  and  love  of  what  is  true  and 
right;  and  obedience  is  only  the  expression  or 


HOLT   LIVING.  299 

outward  manifestation  of  this  conformity ;  just 
as  disobedience  is  the  evidence  of  a  contrariety 
between  our  will  and  the  will  of  God.  Wher- 
ever there  is  reconciliation  to  God,-  or  the  resto- 
ration of  the  divine  image,  there  must  be  con- 
formity of  heart  and  life  to  the  will  of  God.  It 
is  a  contradiction  to  say  that  a  man  is  like  God, 
or  is  a  partaker  of  his  nature,  who  does  not  love 
what  God  loves,  and  avoid  what  he  hates.  Obe- 
dience is  but  love  in  action.  It  is  but  the  voice, 
and  look,  and  carriage  which  affection,  of  neces- 
sity, assumes.  For  the  love  of  God  is  not,  as 
already  said,  mere  love  to  excellence ;  it  is  the 
love  of  a  heavenly  Father;  and  therefore  it 
secures  obedience,  not  only  because  it  supposes 
a  congeniality  of  mind,  if  w^e  may  so  speak, 
between  the  people  of  God  and  God  himself,  but 
also  because  it  is  his  will  that  we  should  be 
obedient;  it  is  what  is  pleasing  to  him;  and 
love  is  no  longer  love  if  it  does  not  lead  to  the 
purpose  and  endeavour  to  give  pleasure  to  its 
object.  He  that  hath  my  commandments  and 
keepeth  them,  said  our  Saviour,  he  it  is  that 
loveth  me.  Obedience  is  not  so  much  the  evi- 
dence of  love,  as  it  is  love  itself  made  visible 
or  expressed.  The  habitual  tenor  of  a  man's 
life  gives  a  more  faithful  exhibition  of  his  state 
of  heart,  than  any  occasional  ebullition  of  feel- 
ing, or  any  mere  verbal  professions ;  and  where 
the  tenor  of  the  life  is  not  in  conformity  with 
the  will  of  God;  there  the  heart  must  be  in  op- 


300  HOLT   LIVING. 

position  to  that  will ;  and  on  the  other  hand, 
wherever  there  is  love,  there  must  be  obedience. 
It  would  be  out  of  analogy  with  the  order  of 
things  as  established  by  God,  if  the  exercises  of 
the  spiritual  life  were  not  attended  by  peace  and 
joy.  Happiness  is  so  intimately  associated  with 
these  exercises  that  the  apostle  says,  To  be  spi- 
ritually minded  is  life  and  peace.  Excellence 
and  enjoj'ment  are  blended  in  inseparable  union ; 
so  that  all  right  emotions  and  affections  are  plea- 
surable. And  this  pleasure  is,  in  kind  if  not 
in  degree,  proportionable  to  the  dignity  of  the 
powers  from  whose  exercise  they  flow.  The 
senses  afford  the  lowest  kind  of  happiness; 
then,  in  an  ascending  scale,  the  social  affections ; 
then  the  intellectual  powers;  then  the  moral 
emotions,  and  then  the  religious  affections.  The 
kind  of  enjoyment  which  attend  these  latter  is 
felt  to  be  more  jDure  and  elevated,  more  satisfy- 
ing and  better  suited  to  our  nature,  than  that 
which  flows  from  any  other  source.  Hence  the 
Scriptures  ascribe  to  communion  with  God  a  joy 
that  is  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,  and  a  peace 
which  passes  all  understanding.  Joy,  therefore, 
is  one  of  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit;  it  is  one  of 
the  accompaniments  and  evidences  of  spiritual 
life ;  it  is  a  healthful  affusion ;  it  is  the  oil 
of  gladness,  which  the  Spirit  pours  over  the 
renewed  soul,  to  invigorate  its  exercises,  to 
brighten  its  visage,  and  to  make  it  active  in  the 
service  and  praise  of  God. 


HOLY   LIVING.  301 

As  the  image  of  God,  after  which  the  soul  is 
renewed,  consists  in  moral  excellence,  and  as 
moral  excellence  means  that  state  of  mind  which 
causes  a  man  to  feel  and  act  right  under  all  cir- 
cumstances, it  is  impossible  that  those  who  have 
correct  views  and  feelings  in  regard  to  God, 
should  not  feel  and  act  correctly  in  regard  to 
their  fellow-men.  Those  whom  the  Bible  desig- 
nates as  good  men  are  benevolent  and  just,  no 
less  than  devout.  The  comprehensive  state- 
ment of  our  duty  toward  our  fellow-men  is 
found  in  the  command.  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbour  as  thyself  The  love  here  intended 
is  that  disposition  which  leads  us  to  regard  our 
neighbour  with  respect  and  kindness,  and  to 
seek  to  do  him  good.  This  love  is  long-suffer- 
ing and  kind;  it  does  not  envy  the  happiness 
of  others,  but  rejoices  in  their  welfire.  It  is 
not  proud,  nor  does  it  behave  itself  unseemly. 
It  seeketh  not  its  own.  It  rejoices  not  in  ini- 
quity, but  rejoices  in  the  truth.  It  beareth  all 
things,  believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things. 
Without  this  love,  all  professions  of  piety,  all 
gifts,  all  outward  acts  of  self-denial  or  charity, 
are  worthless.  It  belongs  essentially  to  the 
Christian  character;  for  as  self-love,  prompting 
us  to  the  pursuit  of  our  own  happiness,  belongs 
to  our  nature  as  men,  so  benevolence,  prompting 
us  to  seek  the  happiness  of  others,  belongs  to 
the  nature  of  the  new  man.     A  new  man  means 

26 


o 


02  HOLT   LIVING. 


a  good  man,  one  who  is  like  God,  holy,  just,  be- 
nevolent and  mercifuL 

This  meek,  kind,  trustful  temper,  which  reli- 
gion never  fails  to  produce,  is,  of  course,  variously 
modified  by  the  various  characters  of  individuals 
and  by  the  relations  of  life.  It  is  no  part  of  the 
teaching  of  the  Bible  that  we  must  regard  all 
men  with  the  same  feelings.  While  it  incul- 
cates benevolence  toward  all  men,  it  makes  pro- 
vision for  the  peculiar  and  closer  relations  in 
wdiich  men  stand  to  each  other,  as  members  of 
one  family  or  one  society.  And  the  same  prin- 
ciple of  religion  which  produces  this  general 
benevolence,  secures  the  exercise  of  all  the 
afiections  which  belong  to  the  various  relations 
of  life.  It  causes  us  to  render  obedience  to 
whom  obedience  is  due,  fear  to  whom  fear, 
honour  to  whom  honour.  It  makes  men,  in 
their  intercourse  wdth  their  equals,  respectful, 
considerate  and  amiable ;  in  their  conduct  to 
their  inferiors,  condescending,  just  and  kind. 

It  cannot  be  too  well  considered  that  these 
social  virtues  are  essential  to  true  religion.  The 
people  of  God  are  those  who  are  like  God ;  but 
God,  as  we  have  seen,  is  just,  merciful,  long-suf- 
fering, abundant  in  goodness  and  truth.  Those, 
therefore,  who  are  dishonest,  unkind,  proud,  re- 
vengeful, or  deceitful,  are  not  his  people ;  they 
do  not  bear  the  heavenly  image,  and  have  never 
been  renew^ed  in  the  spirit  of  their  minds.  Let 
no   man   deceive   himself  with   the   hope   that 


HOLY   LIVING.  303 

though  a  bad  parent,  child,  or  neighbour,  he 
may  be  a  good  Christian.  A  Christian  is  like 
Christ. 

Another  form  in  which  a  renewed  heart  can- 
not fail  to  manifest  itself  is  in  self-denial.  If 
any  man  will  come  after  me,  said  the  Saviour, 
let  him  deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross  and 
follow  me.  The  necessity  of  self-denial  arises 
partly  from  the  fact  that  the  gratification  of  our 
own  wishes  is  often  inconsistent  with  the  good 
of  others ;  and  partly  from  the  fact  that  so  many 
of  our  desires  and  passions  are  inordinate  or  evil. 
The  rule  prescribed  by  the  gospel  is,  that  we  are 
not  to  please  ourselves,  but  every  one  must 
please  his  neighbour,  for  good  to  edification, 
even  as  Christ  pleased  not  himself,  but  though 
he  was  rich,  yet  for  our  sakes  he  became  poor, 
that  we,  through  his  poverty,  might  be  rich. 
The  daily  intercourse  of  life  furnishes  constant 
occasion  for  the  exercises  of  this  kind  of  self- 
denial.  He  who  has  the  same  mind  that  was  in 
Christ,  instead  of  being  selfish,  is  ready  to  defer 
his  own  advantage  to  that  of  others,  to  give  up 
his  own  gratification,  and  even  his  own  rights, 
for  the  good  of  others.  If  meat  causes  his  bro- 
ther to  offend,  he  will  not  eat  meat  while  the 
world  lasts.  To  the  Jews  he  becomes  as  a  Jew, 
that  he  may  gain  the  Jews.  To  the  weak  he 
becomes  as  weak,  that  he  may  gain  the  weak. 
He  does  not  live  for  himself  His  own  interest 
is  not  the  main  end  of  his  pursuit.     As  a  disin- 


304  HOLY   LIVING. 

terested  regard  for  the  good  of  others  pre-emi- 
nently distinguished  the  Eedeemer,  it  character- 
izes all  his  followers ;  for  God  has  predestinated 
them  to  be  conformed  to  the  image  of  his  Son. 

The  call  for  self-denial  arising  from  the  cor- 
ruption of  our  nature,  is  still  more  frequent.  In 
consequence  of  the  fall,  the  senses  have  attained 
an  undue  influence  over  the  soul ;  they  are  in- 
cessant in  their  demands,  and  become  more 
importunate  the  more  they  are  indulged.  It  is 
inconsistent  with  reason  to  yield  ourselves  to 
the  power  of  these  lower  principles  of  our  na- 
ture ;  for  reason  itself  teaches  us  that  if  a  man 
is  governed  by  his  body,  he  is  the  servant  of  a 
slave.  But  if  even  a  rational  man  feels  bound 
to  subject  the  body  to  the  mind,  the  religious 
man  cannot  be  sensual.  They  that  are  Chris- 
tians have  mortified  the  flesh  with  its  aflections 
and  lusts ;  they  keep  their  bodies  in  subjection. 

What  belongs  to  the  body  is,  in  a  certain 
sense,  external ;  the  evil  dispositions  of  the  heart 
are  in  more  intimate  connection  with  the  soul. 
Pride,  vanity,  envy,  malice,  the  love  of  self,  are 
more  formidable  foes  than  mere  bodily  appetites. 
They  are  stronger,  more  enduring,  and  more  ca- 
pable of  deceit.  As  these  dispositions  are  deeply 
seated  in  our  nature,  the  putting  ofi'  the  old  man, 
which  IS  corrupt,  or  the  destruction  of  these  un- 
holy principles,  is  the  most  difficult  of  all  Chris- 
tian duties,  and  renders  the  believer's  life  a  per- 
petual conflict.      The  flesh  lusteth  against  the 


HOLY   LIVING.  305 

spirit,  and  the  spirit  against  the  flesli,  so  that  he 
cpnnot  do  the  things  that  he  would.  In  this 
ccnfiict,  however,  the  better  principle  is  habit- 
ually, though  not  uniformly,  victorious ;  for  the 
children  of  God  walk  not  after  the  flesh,  but 
iifter  the  spirit. 

It  appears,  then,  even  from  this  short  survey, 
ihat  true  Christians  are  renewed  after  the  image 
v)f  God,  so  as  to  be  holy ;  they  love  God,  they 
rest  with  complacency  on  his  perfections,  they 
acquiesce  in  his  will,  and  rejoice  in  their  rela- 
tion to  him  as  his  creatures  and  children.  They 
are  habitually  devout,  and  have  fellowship  with 
the  Father  of  their  spirits  and  with  Jesus  Christ 
his  Son.  They  are  obedient  children,  not  fashion- 
ing themselves  according  to  their  former  lusts ; 
but  as  he  that  called  them  is  holy,  so  are  they 
holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation.  As  they 
bear  the  image  of  a  just  and  merciful  God,  they 
are  honest  and  benevolent  toward  their  fellow- 
men,  not  seeking  their  own,  but  the  good  of 
others.  And  as  this  victory  over  themselves, 
and  this  conformity  to  the  image  of  God,  cannot 
be  obtained  without  conflict  and  self-denial,  they 
keep  up  a  constant  opposition  to  the  more  subtle 
evils  of  the  heart. 

Some  may  be  ready  to  say,  that  if  this  is  reli- 
gion, then  no  man  is  religious.  It  is  certainly 
true  that  many  are  called,  and  few  chosen. 
Strait  is  the  gate  and  narrow  is  the  way  which 

leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it. 

26* 


306  HOLY   LiyiNG. 

We  must  take  our  idea  of  religion  from  the  Bible^ 
and  not  from  the  hves  of  professors.  It  can- 
not be  denied  that  the  Bible  makes  religion  to 
consist  in  love  to  God  and  man;  nor  can  it  be 
questioned  that  the  love  of  God  will  manifest 
itself  in  reverence,  devotion  and  obedience,  and 
the  love  of  men  in  benevolence  and  justice. 
And  our  own  conscience  tells  us  that  no  external 
forms,  no  outward  professions,  no  assiduity  in 
religious  services,  can  entitle  us  to  the  character 
of  Christians,  unless  we  are  thus  devout  and 
obedient  toward  God,  thus  just  and  benevolent 
toward  our  fellow-men,  and  thus  pure  and  self- 
denying  as  i^egards  ourselves.  .But  while  it  is 
certain  that  these  traits  are  all  essential  to  the 
Christian  character,  it  is  not  asserted  that  all 
Christians  are  alike.  There  is  as  great  diversity 
in  their  characters  as  Christians,  as  in  their 
bodily  appearance,  their  mental  powers,  or  social 
dispositions.  But  as  all  men,  in  the  midst  of 
this  endless  variety,  have  the  same  features,  the 
same  mental  faculties,  and  the  same  social  affec- 
tions, so  all  Christians,  however  they  may  dijSer 
in  the  strength  or  combination  of  the  Christian 
graces,  are  all  led  by  the  Spirit,  and  all  produce 
the  fruits  of  the  Spirit. 

Having  given  this  brief  outline  of  the  nature 
of  true  religion,  it  is  proper  to  say  a  few  words 
as  to  its  necessity.  It  should  be  ever  borne  in 
mind  that  the  necessity  of  holiness  is  absolute. 
With  regard  to  other  things,  some,  though  desi- 


HOLY   LIYING.  307 

rable,  are  not  essential,  and  others,  though  essen- 
tial under  ordinary  circumstances,  are  not  univer- 
sally and  absolutely  necessary.  But  holiness  is 
necessary  in  such  a  sense  that  salvation,  without 
it,  is  impossible,  because  salvation  principally 
consists  in  this  very  transformation  of  the  heart. 
Jesus  is  a  Saviour,  because  he  saves  his  people 
from  their  sins.  Those,  therefore,  who  are  not 
sanctified,  are  not  saved.  The  doctrine  that  a 
man  may  live  in  sin,  and  still  be  in  a  state  of 
salvation,  is  as  much  a  contradiction,  as  to  say 
that  a  man  may  be  ill,  w^hen  in  health.  A  state 
of  salvation  is  a  state  of  holiness.  The  two 
things  are  inseparable ;  because  salvation  is  not 
mere  redemption  from  the  penalty  of  sin,  but 
deliverance  from  its  power.  It  is  freedom  from 
bondage  to  the  appetites  of  the  body  and  the 
evil  passions  of  the  heart;,  it  is  an  introduction 
into  the  favour  and  fellowship  of  God;  the  re- 
storation of  the  divine  image  to  the  soul,  so  that 
it  loves  God  and  delights  in  his  service.  Salva- 
tion, therefore,  is  always  begun  on  earth.  Yerily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  believeth  on  me 
hath  eternal  life.  This  is  the  language  of  our 
Saviour.  To  be  spiritually  minded  is  life;  to  be 
carnally  minded  is  death.  There  is  no  delusion 
more  inexcusable,  because  none  is  more  directly 
opposed  to  every  doctrine  of  the  Bible,  than  the 
idea  that  a  state  of  grace  is  consistent  with  a  life 
of  sin.  Without  holiness  no  man  can  see  God. 
Whatever  our  ecclesiastical  connections  may  be, 


308  HOLT   LIVING. 

whatever  our  privileges  or  professions,  if  we  are 
not  lioly  in  heart  and  life;  if  we  are  not  habitu- 
ally governed  by  a  regard  to  the  will  of  God;  if 
we  do  not  delight  in  communion  with  him,  and 
desire  conformity  to  his  image;  if  we  are  not  led 
by  the  Spirit  and  do  not  exhibit  the  love,  joy, 
peace,  long-suffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith, 
meekness  and  temperance  which  that  Spirit 
always  produces — then  we  are  not  religious  men, 
nor  are  we  in  a  state  of  salvation. 

The  Bible  knows  nothing  of  proud,  selfish, 
covetous,  impure  Christians.  Christians  are  par- 
takers of  a  holy  calling,  they  are  washed,  and 
sanctified  and  justified  in  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God ;  they  are 
saints,  the  sanctified  in  Christ  Jesus;  they  mind 
spiritual  things;  they  have  crucified  the  flesh 
with  its  affections  and  lusts;  they  are  poor  in 
spirit,  meek,  pure  in  heart,  merciful;  they  hun- 
ger and  thirst  after  righteousness.  Not  that 
they  have  already  apprehended,  or  are  already 
perfect ;  but  they  follow  after,  if  that  they  may 
apprehend  that  for  which  they  are  also  appre- 
hended of  Christ  Jesus;  forgetting  the  things 
that  are  behind,  and  reaching  forth  unto  those 
things  which  are  before,  they  press  toward  the 
mark  for  the  prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God  in 
Christ  Jesus.  Their  conversation  is  in  heaven; 
from  whence  also  they  look  for  the  Saviour,  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  who  shall  change  our  vile 
body,  that  it  may  be  fashioned  like   unto  his 


HOLY   LIVING.  309 

glorious  body,  according  to  the  working  wherebj 
he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  unto  himself. 

Again,  as  God  is  holy,  it  is  necessary  that  his 
people  should  be  holy.  There  can  be  no  com- 
munion without  concord,  or  congeniality.  If  one 
loves  what  another  hates,  approves  what  another 
condemns,  desh'es  what  another  rejects,  there 
can  be  no  fellowship  between  them.  What  con- 
cord hath  Christ  with  Belial;  or  what  fellowship 
hath  light  with  darkness?  So  long,  therefore, 
as  we  are  what  God  disapproves;  so  long  as  we 
do  not  love  what  he  loves,  there  can  be  no 
fellowship  between  him  and  us.  Hence  Christ 
says,  Marvel  not  that  T  said  unto  you,  ye  must 
be  born  again.  That  which  is  born  of  the  flesh, 
is  flesh ;  and  that  which  is  born  of  the  Spirit,  is 
spirit.  The  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God, 
and  so  long  as  this  prevails  it  is  impossible  that 
we  should  enjoy  his  presence.  As  God  is  the 
only  adequate  portion  of  the  soul;  as  his  favour 
and  fellowship  are  essential  to  our  happiness ;  as 
heaven  consists  in  seeing,  loving  and  serving 
God,  it  is  plain  that  unless  we  are  sanctified  we 
cannot  be  saved;  we  cannot  enjoy  the  society, 
the  employments,  or  the  pleasures  of  the  people 
of  God  above,  if  we  take  no  delight  in  them  here. 
The  necessity  of  holiness,  therefore,  arises  out 
of  the  very  nature  of  God,  and  is  consequently 
absolute  and  unchangeable. 

We  know  also  that  holiness  is  the  end  of  re- 
demption.    Christ  gave  himself  for  his  church, 


3'10  HOLY   LIVING. 

that  he  might  sanctify  and  cleanse  it,  and  that 
it  should  be  holy  and  without  blemish.  He  died 
the  just  for  the  unjust  that  he  might  bring  us 
unto  God.  The  object  of  redemption  is  not  at- 
tained in  the  case  of  those  who  remain  in  sin ; 
in  other  words,  they  are  not  redeemed.  It  is, 
therefore,  to  subvert  the  whole  gospel,  and  to 
make  the  death  of  Christ  of  none  effect,  to  sup- 
pose that  redemption  and  continuance  in  sin  are 
compatible.  The  whole  design  and  purpose  of 
the  mission  and  sufferings  of  the  Saviour  would 
be  frustrated  if  his  people  were  not  made  par- 
takers of  his  holiness;  for  the  glory  of  God  is 
promoted  in  them  and  by  them  only  so  far  as 
they  are  made  holy,  and  the  recompense  of  the 
Redeemer  is  his  bringing  his  people  into  con- 
formity to  his  own  image,  that  he  may  be  the 
first-born  among  many  brethren.  Every  child 
of  God  feels  that  the  charm  and  glory  of  redemp- 
tion is  deliverance  from  sin  and  conformity  to 
God.  This  is  the  crown  of  righteousness,  the 
prize  of  the  high  calling  of  God,  the  exaltation 
and  blessedness  for  which  he  longs  and  suffers 
and  prays.  To  tell  him  that  he  may  be  saved 
without  being  made  holy,  is  to  confound  all  his 
ideas  of  salvation,  and  to  crush  all  his  hopes. 
The  nature  of  salvation,  the  character  of  God, 
the  declarations  of  his  word,  the  design  of  re- 
demption, all  concur  to  prove  that  holiness  is 
absolutely  and  indispensably  necessary,  so  that 
whatever  we  may  be,  or  whatever  we  may  have, 


HOLY   LIVING.  311 

if  we  are  not  holy,  we  are  not  the  children  of 
God  nor  the  heirs  of  his  kingdom. 


Section  II. — The  Means  of  Sanetification. 

The  attainment  of  holiness  is  often  treated, 
even  by  Christian  writers,  as  a  mere  question  of 
morals,  or,  at  most,  of  natural  religion.  Men 
are  directed  to  control,  by  the  force  of  reason, 
their  vicious  propensities ;  to  set  in  array  before 
the  mind  the  motives  to  virtuous  living,  and  to 
strengthen  the  will  by  acts  of  self-restraint. 
Conscience  is  summoned  to  sanction  the  dic- 
tates of  reason,  or  to  warn  the  sinner  of  the 
consequences  of  transgression.  The  doctrines 
of  the  presence  and  providence  of  God,  and  of 
future  retribution,  are  more  or  less  relied  upon 
to  prevent  the  indulgence  of  sin,  and  to  stiuiu- 
late  to  the  practice  of  virtue.  Sj^ecial  directions 
are  given  how  to  cultivate  virtuous  habits,  or  to 
correct  those  which  are  evil. 

As  we  are  rational  beings,  and  were  meant  to 
be  governed  by  reason  in  opposition  to  appetite 
and  passion,  there  is  much  that  is  true  and  im- 
portant in  such  disquisitions  on  the  practice  of 
virtue.  But  as  w^e  are  depraved  beings,  desti- 
tute of  any  recuperative  power  in  ourselves,  such 
rules  and  the  efforts  to  which  they  lead  must,  by 
themselves,  be  ineffectual.  God  has  endowed 
the  body  with  a  restorative  energy,  which  en- 
ables it  to  throw  off  what  is  noxious  to  the  sys- 


312  HOLT   LIVING. 

tern,  and  to  heal  the  wounds  which  accident  or 
malice  may  have  inflicted.  But  when  the  sys- 
tem itself  is  deranged,  instead  of  correcting  what 
is  amiss,  it  aggravates  what  would  othersvise  be 
a  mere  temporary  disorder.  And  if  by  external 
means  the  evil  is  checked  in  one  part,  it  reap- 
pears in  another.  Though  you  amputate  a  de- 
caying limb,  the  remaining  portion  soon  exhibits 
symptoms  of  mortification.  So  long  as  the  sys- 
tem is  deranged,  such  means  are  mere  pallia- 
tives, concealing  or  diverting  the  evil,  but  leav- 
ing the  source  of  it  untouched.  It  is  no  less 
true  that  so  long  as  the  heart  is  unrenewed,  all 
that  reason  and  conscience  can  do  is  of  little 
avail.  They  may  obstruct  the  stream,  or  divert 
it  into  secret  channels,  but  they  cannot  reach 
the  fountain.  As  we  retain,  since  the  fall,  rea- 
son, the  power  of  choice,  conscience,  the  social 
affections,  a  sense  of  justice,  fear,  shame,  &c., 
much  may  be  done,  by  a  skilful  management 
of  these  principles  of  action,  toward  producing 
propriety  of  conduct,  and  even  great  amiability 
and  worth  of  character.  But  it  is  impossible, 
by  these  means,  to  call  into  existence  right 
views  and  feelings  toward  God  and  our  neigh- 
bour, or  to  eradicate  the  selfishness,  pride  and 
other  forms  of  evil  by  which  our  nature  is  cor- 
rupted. A  man  may  be  brought,  by  reason  and 
conscience,  to  change  his  conduct,  but  not  to 
change  his  heart.  A  sense  of  duty  may  force 
him  to  give  alms  to  a  man  he  hates,  but  it  can- 


HOLY   LIVING.  313 

not  change  hatred  into  love.  The  desire  of  hap- 
piness may  induce  him  to  engage  externally  in 
the  service  of  God,  but  it  cannot  make  that  ser- 
vice a  delight.  The  affections  do  not  obey  the 
dictates  of  reason  nor  the  commands  of  con- 
science. They  may  be  measurably  restrained 
in  their  manifestations,  but  cannot  be  changed 
in  their  nature.  They  follow  their  own  law. 
They  delight  in  w^hat  is  suited  to  the  disposi- 
tion of  him  w^ho  exercises  them.  Holding  up 
to  them  w^hat  they  ought  to  delight  in,  cannot 
secure  their  devotion. 

It  is  not  meant  to  depreciate  reason  and  con- 
science, but  it  is  necessary  that  their  true  pro- 
vince should  be  known,  that  we  may  not  rely 
upon  inadequate  means  in  our  efforts  to  become 
holy.  Though  Scripture  and  experience  teach 
us  that  our  own  unaided  powders  are  insufficient 
to  bring  us  to  the  knowledge  and  love  of  God, 
the  rules  which  reason  suggests  for  the  culture 
of  moral  excellence  are,  for  the  renew^ed  man, 
far  from  being  destitute  of  value.  It  is  no  doubt 
of  importance  that  we  should  be  acquainted  with 
the  counsels  of  the  wase  on  this  subject,  and 
that  w^e  should  habituate  ourselves  to  the  vigi- 
lant use  of  all  these  subordinate  means  of  im- 
provement; remembering,  however,  that  it  is 
not  by  the  strength  of  our  ow^n  purposes,  nor  by 
the  force  of  moral  considerations,  nor  by  any 
rules  of  discipline,  that  the  life  of  God  in  the 
soul  can  be  either  produced  or  sustained. 

27 


314  HOLT   LIVING. 

While  one  class  of  men  place  their  chief  reli- 
ance for  moral  improvement  upon  reason  and 
conscience,  another,  and  perhaps  a  larger  class, 
rely  upon  means  which,  though  they  have  no 
tendency  in  themselves  to  produce  holiness,  are 
falsely  assumed  to  have,  in  virtue  of  the  ap- 
pointment of  God,  an  inherent  efficacy  for  that 
purpose.  Such  are  not  only  the  ablutions,  pil- 
grimages and  penances  of  the  heathen,  but  the 
multiplied  rites  of  corrupt  Christian  churches. 
Sprinkling  the  body  with  consecrated  water,  the 
repetition  of  forms  of  prayer,  attendance  upon 
religious  services  not  understood,  anointing  with 
oil,  the  imposition  of  hands,  receiving,  though 
without  faith,  the  holy  sacraments,  are  supposed 
to  convey  grace  to  the  soul.  Great  reliance  is 
placed  on  retirement  from  the  world ;  on  pray- 
ing at  particular  times  or  places,  or  in  a  particu- 
lar jDosture,  and  on  the  whole  routine  of  ascetic 
discipline.  With  what  laborious  and  unavaihng 
diligence  these  means  of  destroying  sin  have 
been  employed,  the  history  of  the  church  gives 
melancholy  evidence.  Even  in  the  days  of  the 
apostles  the  disposition  to  rely  on  such  means 
for  attaining  holiness  had  begun  to  manifest 
itself.  There  were  even  then  men  who  com- 
manded to  abstain  from  nieats,  who  forbade  mar- 
riage, who  said.  Taste  not,  touch  not,  handle 
not ;  which  things,  says  the  ajDostle,  have  indeed 
a  show  of  wisdom  in  will-worshij)  and  humility, 


HOLY   LIVING.  315 

and   in  neglecting  and   dishonouring  the  body, 
and  yet  only  served  to  satisfy  the  flesh.'*" 

\,  The  Scriptures  teach)  us  a  different  doctrine.f 
They  teach  that  believers  are  so  united  to 
Christ,  that  they  are  not  only  partakers  of  the 
merit  of  his  death,  but  also  of  his  Holy  Spirit, 
which  dwells  in  them  as  a  principle  of  life, 
bringing  them  more  and  more  into  confonnity 
with  the  image  of  God,  and  working  in  themj 
both  to  will  and  to  do  according  to  his  own] 
good  pleasure.  They  teach  that  so  long  as  men 
are  under  the  law,  that  is,  are  bound  to  satisfy 
its  demands  as  the  ground  of  their  acceptance 
with  God,  and  are  governed  by  a  legal  spirit,  or 
a  mere  sense  of  duty  and  fear  of  punishment, 
they  are  in  the  condition  of  slaves;  incapable 
of  right  feelings  toward  God,  or  of  producing 
the  fruits  of  holiness.  But  when,  by  the  death 
of  Christ,  they  are  freed  from  the  law,  in  the 
sense  above  stated,  their  whole  relation  to  God 
is  changed.  They  are  no  longer  slaves,  but 
children.  Being  united  to  Christ  in  his  death, 
they  are  partakers  of  his  life,  and  in  virtue  of 
this  union  they  bring  forth  fruit  unto  God. 
They  are  henceforth  led  by  the  Spirit  which 
dwells  in  them;  and  this  Spirit  is  a  source  of  f, 
life  not  only  to  the  soul, (but  also  to  the  bodjj); 
for  if  the  Spirit  of  him  that  raised  Christ  from 
the  dead  dwell  in  us,  he  that  raised  up  Christ 

*  Col.  ii.  21-23. 


316  HOLT   LIVING. 

(from  the  dead  shall  also  quicken  our  bodies,  by 
his  Spirit  that  dwelleth  in  us.  The  doctrine  of 
/sanctification^  therefore,  as  taught  in  the  Bible 
IS,  that  we  are  made  holy  not  by  the  force  of 
conscience,  nor  of  moral  motives,  nor  by  acts 
of  discipline,  but  by  being  united  to  Christ  so 
as  to  become  reconciled  to  God,  and  partakers 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Christ  is  made  unto  us 
sanctification  as  well  as  justification.  He  not 
only  frees  from  the  penalty  of  the  law,  but  he 
makes  holy.  There  is,  therefore,  according  to 
the  gospel,  no  such  thing  as  sanctification,  with- 
out or  before  justification.  Those  who  are  out 
of  Christ  are  under  the  power  as  well  as  under 
the  condemnation  of  sin.  And  those  who  are 
in  Christ  are  not  only  free  from  condemnation, 
but  are  also  delivered  from  the  dominion  of  sin. 
The  nature  of  the  union  between  Christ  and 
his  people,  on  which  so  much  depends,  is  con- 
fessedly mysterious.  Paul  having  said,  We  are 
members  of  his  body,  of  his  flesh,  and  of  his 
■  bones,  immediately  adds.  This  is  a  great  mys- 
tery.* It  is  in  vain,  therefore,  to  attempt  to 
bring  this  subject  down  to  the  level  of  our  com- 
prehension. The  mode  in  which  God  is  present 
and  operates  throughout  the  universe,  is  to  us 
an  impenetrable  secret.  We  cannot  even  under- 
stand how  our  own  souls  are  present  and  operate 
in  the  bodies  which  they  occupy.     We  need  not, 

~^  *  Eph.  V.  32. 


HOLT   LIVING.  317 

then,  expect  to  comprehend  Tthe  mode  in  which 
Christ  dwells  by  his  Spirit  in  the  hearts  of  his 
people.^  The  fact  that  such  union  exists  is 
clearly  revealed ;  its  effects  are  explicitly  stated, 
and  its  nature  is  set  forth,  as  far  as  it  can  be 
made  known,  by  the  most  striking  illustrations. 
In  his  intercessory  prayer,  our  Saviour  said,  I 
pray — that  they  all  may  be  one,  as  thou.  Father, 
art  in  me  and  I  in  thee,  that  they  also  may  be 
one  in  us — I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they 

Vmay  be  made  perfect  in  one.*  He  that  keepeth 
his  commandments,  says  the  apostle,  dwelleth  in 
him,  and  he  in  him ;  and  hereby  we  know  that 
he  abideth  in  us,  by  the  Spirit,  which  he  hath 
given  us.f     If  any  man  have  not  the  Spirit  of 

.  Christ,  he  is  none  of  his,  but  if  Christ  be  in  you, 

'  the  body  (adds  the   apostle)  may  die,  but  the 

soul  shall  live.J     Know  ye  not,  asks  Paul,  that 

\your   body  is  the  temple  of  the   Holy  Ghost, 

'which  is  in  you,  which  ye  have  of  God,  and  ye 
are  not  your  own?§  And  to  the  same  effect, 
Know  ye  not  that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God,  and 

^bthat  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in  you?|| 

The  Scriptures  are  filled  with  this  doctrine. 
The  great  promise  of  the  Old  Testament,  in  con- 
nection with  the  advent  of  the  Messiah,  was,  that 
the  Holy  Spirit  should  then  be  abundantly  com- 


*  John  xvii.  21,  23.  f  1  John  iii.  24. 

X  Rom.  viii.  9-11.  §  1  Cor.  vi.  19. 

II 1  Cor.  iii.  16. 

27*  y 


318  HOLT   LIVING. 

municated  to  men.  Christ  is  said  to  have  re- 
deemed us  in  order  that  we  might  receive  this 
ji  promised  Sj^irit.*  And  the  only  evidence  of  a 
particijDation  of  the  benefits  of  redemption,  re- 
cognised by  the  apostles,  was  the  participation  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  manifesting  itself  either  in  the 
extraordinary  powers  which  he  then  communi- 
cated, or  in  those  lovely  fruits  of  holiness  which 
never  fail  to  mark  his  presence. 

The  effects  ascribed  to  this  union,  as  already 
stated,  are  an  interest  in  the  merits  of  Christ  in 
order  to  our  justification,  and  the  indwelling  of 
his  Spirit  in  order  to  our  sanctification.  Its 
nature  is  variously  illustrated.  It  is  compared 
to  that  union  which  subsists  between  a  represen- 
tative and  those  for  whom  he  acts.  In  this  view 
Adam  is  said  to  be  like  Christ,  and  Christ  is  said 
to  be  the  second  Adam;  for  as  in  Adam  all  die, 
so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.  This  idea 
is  also  presented  whenever  Christ  is  said  to  have 
died  for  his  sheep,  or  in  their  place;  or  when 
they  are  said  to  have  died  with  him,  his  death 
being  virtually  their  death,  satisfying  in  their 
behalf  the  demands  of  justice,  and  redeeming 
them  from  the  curse  of  the  law.  It  is  compared 
to  the  union  between  the  head  and  members  of 
the  same  body.  The  meaning  of  this  illustrar 
tion  is  by  no  means  exhausted  by  saying  that 
Christ  governs  his  people,  or  that  there  is  a  com-» 


^*CaUH..M. 


HOLY   LIVING.  319 

miinity  of  feeling  and  interest  between  them. 
The  main  idea  is  that. there  is  a  community  of 
life;  that  the  same  Spirit  dwells  in  him  and  in 
them.  As  the  body  is  everywhere  animated  by 
one  soul,  which  makes  it  one  and  communicates 
a  common  life  to  all  its  parts;  so  the  Holy 
Ghost,  who  dwells  in  Christ,  is  by  him  communi- 
cated to  all  his  people,  and  makes  them,  in  a 
peculiar  sense,  one  with  him  and  one  among 
themselves,  and  imparts  to  all  that  life  which 
has  its  seat  and  source  in  him.  As  the  body  is 
one,  and  hath  many  members,  and  all  the  mem- 
bers of  that  one  body,  being  many,  are  one  body; 
so  also  is  Christ,  for  by  one  Spirit  are  we  all  bap- 
tized into  one  body — and  have  all  been  made  to 
drink  into  one  Spirit.*  Another  illustration,  but 
of  the  same  import,  is  employed  by  Christ,  when 
he  says,  I  am  the  vine,  ye  are  the  branches;  he 
that  abideth  in  me  and  I  in  him,  the  same  brine:- 
eth  forth  much  fruit;  for  without  me  ye  can  do 
nothins:.  As  the  branches  are  so  united  to  the 
vine  as  to  partake  of  its  life  and  to  be  absolutely 
dependent  upon  it,  so  believers  are  so  united  to 
Christ  as  to  partake  of  his  life  and  to  be  abso- 
lutely dependent  on  him.  The  Holy  Spirit  com-  / 
municated  by  him  to  them,  is,  in  them,  the  [ 
principle  of  life  and  fruitfulness.  | 

Christ  and   his  people   are  one.     He   is   the 
foundation,  they  are  the    building.     He  is   the 

*  1  Cor.  xii.  12,  13.  " 


320  HOLY  LIVING. 

vine,  they  are  the  branches.  He  is  the  head, 
they  are  the  body.  Because  he  lives,  they  shall 
live  also;  for  it  is  not  they  that  live,  but  Christ 
that  liveth  in  them.  The  Holy  Spirit,  concern- 
ing which  he  said  to  his  disciples.  He  dwelleth 
with  you  and  shall  be  in  you,  is  to  them  not 
only  the  source  of  spiritual  life,  but  of  all  its 
manifestations.  They  are  baptized  by  the  Spirit;* 
they  are  born  of  the  Spirit  ;-j*  they  are  called 
spiritual,  because  the  Spirit  of  God  dwells  in 
them ;  J  whereas,  the  unregenerate  are  called  natu- 
ral, or  sensual,  "not  having  the  Spirit."§  Be- 
lievers are  sanctified  by  the  Spirit  ;||  they  are  led 
by  the  Spirit;^  they  live  in  the  Spirit;**  they 
are  strengthened  by  the  Spirit  ;ff  they  are  filled 
with  the  Spirit. JJ  By  the  Spirit  they  mortify 
sin;§§  through  the  Spirit,  they  wait  for  the  hope 
of  righteousness  ;||||  they  have  access  to  God  by 
the  Spirit  ;^^  they  pray  and  sing  in  the  Spirit.**}* 
The  Spirit  is  to  them  a  source  of  knowledge,*! 
of  joy,*§  of  love,  long  suffering,  goodness,  faith, 
meekness,  temperance.*||     This  doctrine  of  the 

*  Luke  iii.  16.  f  John  Hi.  5. 

t  1  Cor.  iii.  16.  ^  Jude  10. 

II  1  Cor.  vi.  11.  f  Rom.  viii.  14. 

^^  Gal.  V.  25.  ft  Eph.  iii.  16. 

Jt  Eph.  V.  18.  ^§  Rom.  viii.  13. 

nil  Gal.  V.5.  HH  Eph.  ii.  18. 

*t  1  Cor.  xiv.  15.  *J  Eph.  i.  17. 

*g  lThess.i.6.  *||  Gal.  v.  22. 


HOLY   LIVING.  321 

indwelling  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  so  wrought  into 
j  the  texture  of  the  gospel  as  to  be  absolutely 
'  essential  to  it.  It  ceases  to  be  the  gospel  if  we 
abstract  from  it  the  great  truth,  that  the  Spirit 
of  God,  as  the  purchase  and  gift  of  Christ,  is  ever 
present  wdth  his  people,  guiding  their  inward 
exercises  and  outward  conduct,  and  bringing 
them  at  last,  without  spot  or  blemish,  to  the 
purity  and  blessedness  of  heaven. 

The  secret  of  holy  living  lies  in  this  doctrine 
of  the  union  of  the  believer  with  Christ.     This 
is  not  only  the  ground  of  his  hope  of  pardon, 
but  the  source  of  the  strength  whereby  he  dies 
unto  sin  and  lives  unto  righteousness.     It  is  by] 
being  rooted  and  grounded  in  Christ  that  he  isj 
strengthened  with  might   by  his   Spirit   in  ihe\ 
inner  man,  and  is  enabled  to  comprehend  the! 
breadth,  and  length,  and  depth  and  height  of  the  \ 
mystery  of  redemption  and  to  know  the  love  of  , 
Christ  which  passes  knowledge,  and  is  filled  withj 
all  the  fulness  of  God.     It  is  this  doctrine  which 
sustains  him  under  all  his  trials,  and  enables  him 
to  triumph  over  all  his  enemies,  for  it  is  not  he 
that  lives,  but  Christ  that  lives  in  him,  giving 
him  grace   sufficient  for  his  day,  and  purifying 
him  unto  himself,  as  one  of  his  peculiar  peoj)le 
zealous  of  good  works. 

As  union  with  Christ  is  the  source  of  spiritual 
\  life,  the  means  by  wdiich  that  life  is  to  be  main- 
tained and  promoted,  are  all  related  to  this  doc- 
'  trine  and  derive  from  it  all  their  efficacy.     Thus 


322  HOLY   LIVING. 

we  are  said  to  be  purified  by  faith,*  to  be  sancti- 
fied by  faithjf  to  live  by  faith^J  to  be  saved  by 
faith. §  Faith  has  this  important  agency  because 
it  is  the  bond  of  our  union  with  Christ.  It  not 
only  gives  us  the  right  to  plead  his  merits  for 
our  justification,  but  it  makes  us  partakers  of 
his  Holy  Spirit.  Christ  has  promised  that  all 
who  come  to  him  shall  receive  the  water  of  life, 
by  which  the  apostle  tells  us  is  meant  the  Holy 
Spirit.  It  is  by  faith,  and  in  the  persuasion  of 
our  consequent  union  with  Christ,  that  we  have 
confidence  to  draw  near  to  God  and  to  open  our 
souls  to  the  sanctifying  influence  of  his  love.  It 
is  by  faith  that  we  receive  of  his  fulness  and 
grace  for  grace.  It  is  by  faith  that  we  look  to 
him  for  strength  to  overcome  temptations  and  to 
discharge  our  duties.  It  is  by  faith  that  we  re- 
ceive those  exceeding  great  and  precious  pro- 
mises, whereby  we  are  made  partakers  of  the 
divine  nature. 

All  Christians  know  from  experience  that 
faith  in  Christ  is  the  source  of  their  holiness 
and  peace.  When  beset  with  temptations  to  de- 
spondency or  sin,  if  they  look  to  him  for  support, 
they  are  conscious  of  a  strength  to  resist,  or  to 
endure,  which  no  effort  of  will  and  no  influence 
of  motives  ever  could  impart.  When  they  draw 
near  to  God  as  the  members  of  Christ,  they  have 

*  Acts  XV.  9.  t  Acts  xxvi.  18. 

X  Gal.  ii.  20.  ^  Eph.  ii.  8. 


HOLY   LIYING.  323 

freedom  of  access  and  experience  a  joy  which  is 
unspeakable  and  full  of  glory.  When  pressed 
down  by  afflictions,  if  they  remember  that  they 
are  one  with  him  who  suffered  for  them,  leaving 
them  an  example,  they  rejoice  in  their  tribula- 
tions, knowing  that  if  they  suffer  they  shall  also 
reign  with  him. 

Moreover,  as  in  virtue  of  union  with  Christ 
we  receive  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  source  of  spi- 
ritual life,  to  maintain  that  life  we  must  avoid 
every  thing  which  may  provoke  the  Spirit  to 
withdraw  from  us.  The  Bible  teaches  us  that 
the  Spirit  may  be  grieved;  that  his  influences 
may  be  quenched;  that  God,  in  judgment,  often 
withdraws  them  from  those  who  thus  offend. 
Evil  thoughts,  unholy  tempers,  acts  of  trans- 
gression are  to  be  avoided,  not  merely  as  sins, 
but  aS'  offences  against  the  Holy  Spirit.  We 
must  remember  that  to  defile  the  soul  with  sin, 
or  the  body  by  intemperance  or  impurity,  is 
sacrilege,  because  we  are  the  members  of  Christ, 
and  our  bodies  the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
On  the  other  hand,  right  thoughts,  just  pur- 
poses, holy  desires  are  to  be  cherished,  not  only 
as  right  in  themselves,  but  as  proceeding  from 
that  heavenly  agent  on  whom  we  are  dependent 
for  sanctification. 

This  is  a  very  different  thing  from  opposing 
sin  and  cultivating  right  feelings  on  mere  moral 
considerations,  and  in  dependence  on  our  own 
strength.      This   may  be  what  the  world  calls 


324  HOLY  UVING. 

morality,  but  it  is  not  what  the  Bible  calls  reli- 
gion. Such  considerations  ought  to  have  and 
ever  will  have,  with  the  Christian,  their  due 
weight ;  but  they  are  not  his  dependence^  in  his 
efforts  to  become  holy,  nor  is  his  reliance  upon 
his  own  resources.  The  life  which  he  leads  is 
by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ ;  and  it  is  by  constant 
reference  to  the  Holy  Spirit  and  dependence  on 
him  that  that  life  is  maintained.  For  it  is  as 
inconsistent  with  the  religion  of  the  gospel  to 
suppose  that  we  can  make  ourselves  holy  by  our 
own  strength,  as  that  we  can  be  justified  by  our 
own  works. 

It  is  principally  through  the  efficacy  of  prayer 
that  we  receive  the  communications  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Prayer  is  not  a  mere  instinct  of  a  de- 
pendent nature,  seeking  help  from  the  Author 
of  its  being ;  nor  is  it  to  be  viewed  simply  as  a 
natural  expression  of  faith  and  desire,  or  as  a 
mode  of  communion  with  the  Father  of  our 
spirits;  but  it  is  also  to  be  regarded  as  the 
appointed  means  of  obtaining  the  Holy  Ghost. 
If  ye,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts 
unto  your  children,  how  much  more  shall  your 
heavenly  Father  give  the  Holy  Spirit  to  them 
that  ask  him.  Hence  we  are  urged  to  be  con- 
stant and  importunate  in  prayer,  praying  espe- 
cially for  those  communications  of  divine  in- 
fluence by  wnlch  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul  is 
maintained  and  promoted. 

The  doctrine  that  the  Holy  Spirit  works  in 


HOLT   LIYIXG.  325 

the  people  of  God  both  to  will  and  to  do  accord- 
ing to  his  own  good  pleasure,  is  not  inconsistent 
with  the  diligent  use  of  all  rational  and  scriptu- 
ral means,  on  our  part,  to  grow  in  grace  and  in 
the  knowledge  of  God.  For  though  the  mode 
of  the  Spirit's  influence  is  inscrutable,  it  is  still 
the  influence  of  a  rational  being  on  a  rational 
subject.  It  is  described  as  an  enlightening, 
teaching,  persuading  process,  all  which  terms 
suppose  a  rational  subject  rationally  afiected. 
The  indwelling  of  the  Spirit,  therefore,  in  the 
people  of  God,  does  not  supersede  their  own 
agency.  He  acts  by  leading  them  to  act.  Thus 
we  are  commanded  to  do,  and  in  fact  must  do, 
what  he  is  said  to  do  for  us.  We  believe,  though 
faith  is  of  the  operation  of  God;  we  repent, 
though  repentance  is  the  gift  of  Christ;  we  love, 
though  love,  gentleness,  goodness  and  all  other 
graces  are  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit.  The  work  of 
sanctification  is  carried  on  by  our  being  thus  led 
under  this  divine  influence  to  exercise  right  dis- 
positions and  feelings.  For  the  law  of  our  na- 
ture, which  connects  an  increase  of  strength  with 
the  repeated  exercise  of  any  of  our  powers,  is 
not  suspended  with  regard  to  the  holy  disposi- 
tion of  the  renewed  soul.  Philosophers  say 
that  the  vibrations  imparted  to  the  atmosphere 
by  the  utterance  of  a  word  never  cease.  How- 
ever this  may  be,  it  is  certain  every  pious  emo- 
tion strengthens  the  principle  of  piety,  and 
leaves  the  soul  permanently  better.     The  good 

28 


326  HOLT  LIVING. 

derived  from  that  influence,  or  from  those  ser- 
vices which  call  our  love,  faith,  or  gratitude  into 
exercise,  is  not  transient  as  the  exercises  them- 
selves. Far  from  it.  One  hour's  communion 
with  God  produces  an  impression  never  to  be 
effaced ;  it  renders  the  soul  for  ever  less  suscep- 
tible of  evil  and  more  susceptible  of  good.  And 
as  the  Holy  Spirit  is  ever  exciting  the  soul  to 
the  exercise  of  holiness,  and  bringing  it  into 
communion  with  God,  he  thus  renders  it  more 
and  more  holy,  and  better  fitted  for  the  un- 
changing and  perfect  holiness  of  heaven. 

It  is  principally  by  the  contemplation  of  the 
truth,  the  worship  of  God,  and  the  discharge  of 
duty  that  these  holy  exercises  are  called  into 
being.  All  thought  and  affection  suppose  an 
object  on  which  they  terminate,  and  which, 
when  presented,  tends  to  call  them  forth.  We 
cannot  fear  God  unless  his  holiness  and  power 
be  present  to  the  mind;  we  cannot  love  him 
except  in  view  of  his  excellence  and  goodness ; 
we  cannot  believe,  except  in  contemplation  of  his 
word,  nor  hope,  unless  in  view  of  his  promises. 
As  these  affections  suppose  their  appropriate 
objects,  so  these  objects  tend  to  excite  the  affec- 
tions. Were  it  not  for  our  depravity,  they  never 
could  be  brought  into  view  without  the  corre- 
*sponding  affection  rising  to  meet  them.  And 
notwithstanding  our  depravity,  their  tendency, 
resulting  from  their  inherent  nature,  remains, 
and  as  that  depravity  is  .corrected  or  removed 


HOLY   LIVING.  327 

by  the  Holy  Spirit,  these  objects  exert  on  the 
soul  their  appropriate  influence.  We  are,  there- 
fore, said  to  be  sanctified  by  the  truth  ;*  to  be 
made  clean  through  the  word  of  Christ  ;f  to 
be  born  again  by  the  word  of  truth  ;J  to  be 
changed  into  the  image  of  God  by  beholding 
his  glory.§ 

It  is  most  unreasonable  to  expect  to  be  con- 
formed to  the  image  of  God,  unless  the  truth 
concerning  God  be  made  to  operate  often  and 
continuously  upon  the  mind.  How  can  a  heart 
that  is  filled  with  the  thoughts  and  cares  of  the 
world,  and  especially  one  which  is  often  moved 
to  evil  by  the  thoughts  or  sight  of  sin,  expect 
that  the  afiections  which  answer  to  the  holiness, 
goodness  or  greatness  of  God  should  gather 
strength  within  it  ?  How  can  the  love  of  Christ 
increase  in  the  bosoms  of  those  who  hardly  ever 
think  of  him  or  of  his  work  ?  This  cannot  be 
without  a  change  in  the  very  nature  of  things ; 
and  therefore  we  cannot  make  progress  in  holi- 
ness unless  we  devote  much  time  to  the  readimr, 
and  hearing,  and  meditating  upon  the  word  of 
God,  which  is  the  truth  whereby  we  are  sanc- 
tified. The  more  this  truth  is  brought  before 
the  mind ;  the  more  we  commune  with  it,  enter- 
ing into  its  import,  applying  it  to  our  own  case, 
appropriating  its  principles,  appreciating  its  mo- 

*  John  xvii.  19.  f  John  xv.  3. 

X  James  i.  18.  i  2  Cor.  iii.  18. 


328  HOLT   LiyiNG. 

tives,  rejoicing  in  its  promises,  trembling  at  its 
threatenings,  rising  by  its  influence  from  what 
is  seen  and  temporal  to  what  is  unseen  and  eter- 
nal ;  the  more  may  we  expect  to  be  transformed 
by  the  renewing  of  our  mind  so  as  to  approve 
and  love  whatever  is  holy,  just  and  good.  Men 
distinguished  for  their  piety  .have  ever  been  men 
of  meditation  as  well  as  men  of  prayer ;  men  ac- 
customed to  withdraw  the  mind  from  the  influ- 
ence of  the  world  with  its  thousand  joys  and 
sorrows,  and  to  bring  it  under  the  influence  of 
the  doctrines,  precepts  and  promises  of  the  word 
of  God. 

Besides  the  contemplation  of  the  truth,  the 
worship  of  God  is  an  important  means  of  grow- 
ing in  grace.  It  not  only  includes  the  exercise 
and  expression  of  all  pious  feelings,  which  are 
necessarily  strengthened  by  the  exercise,  but  it 
is  the  appointed  means  of  holding  communion 
with  God  and  receiving  the  communications  of 
his  grace.  They  that  wait  on  the  Lord  shall 
renew  their  strength ;  they  shall  mount  up  with 
wings  as  eagles,  they  shall  walk  and  not  be 
weary,  they  shall  run  and  not  faint.  Blessed 
are  they  that  dwell  in  thy  house ;  they  shall  be 
still  praising  thee.  They  shall  go  from  strength 
to  strength,  till  they  appear  before  God  in  Zion. 
This  is  a  matter  of  experience  as  well  as  revela- 
tion. The  people  of  God  have  ever  found  in  the 
private,  social  and  public  worship  of  the  Father 
of   their  spirits,  the  chief   means  of  renewing 


HOLY   LIVING.  329 

their  spiritual  strength.  The  sanctuary  is  the 
temple  of  God  on  earth,  whose  services  are  pre- 
paratory to  those  of  the  temple  not  made  with 
hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens.  It  is  here  too 
that  the  sacraments,  as  means  of  grace,  have 
their  appropriate  place.  They  are  to  us  what 
the  sacrifices  and  rites  of  the  old  dispensation 
W'Cre  to  the  Israelites.  They  exhibit  and  seal 
the  truth  and  promises  of  God,  and  convey  to 
those  who  w^orthily  receive  them  the  blessings 
which  they  represent.  The  Christian,  there- 
fore, who  is  desirous  of  increasing  in  the  know- 
ledge and  love  of  God,  wall  be  a  faithful  attend- 
ant on  all  the  appointed  forms  and  occasions  of 
divine  worship.  He  will  be  much  in  his  closet, 
he  w^ill  be  punctual  in  the  sanctuary  and  at  the 
table  of  the  Lord.  He  will  seek  opportunities 
of  fellow^ship  with  God,  as  a  friend  seeks  inter- 
course vnth  his  friend;  and  the  more  he  can 
enjoy  of  this  communion,  the  better  will  he  be 
prepared  for  that  perfect  fellow^ship  wdth  the 
Father  of  lights  which  constitutes  the  blessed- 
ness of  heaven. 

Finally,  to  be  good,  w^e  must  do  good.  It  has 
been  falsely  said  that  action  is  the  w^hole  of  ora- 
tory, and  as  falsely  supposed  that  action  is  the 
whole  of  religion.  There  is  no  eloquence  in 
action  except  as  it  is  expressive  of  thought  and 
feeling,  and  there  is  no  religion  in  outward  acts 
except  as  they  are  informed  and  guided  by  a 
pious  spirit.     It  is  only  by  maintaining  such  a 

28* 


330  HOLY   LIVING. 

spirit  that  external  works  can  have  any  signifi- 
cance or  value.  It  is  perhaps  one  of  the  evil 
tendencies  of  our  age,  to  push  religion  out  of 
doors;  to  allow  her  no  home  but  the  street  or 
public  assembly;  to  withhold  from  her  all  food 
except  the  excitement  of  loud  professions  and 
external  manifestations.  This  is  to  destroy  her 
power.  It  is  to  cut  her  off  from  the  source  of 
her  strength,  and  to  transform  the  meek  and 
holy  visiter  from  heaven  into  the  noisy  and 
bustling  inhabitant  of  the  earth.  It  is  so  much 
easier  to  be  religious  outwardly  than  inwardly; 
to  be  active  in  church  duties,  than  to  keep  the 
heart  with  all  diligence,  that  we  are  in  danger  of 
preferring  the  form  of  religion  to  its  power. 
The  same  love  of  excitement  and  desire  to  be 
busy  which  make  men  active  in  worldly  pur- 
suits, may,  without  changing  their  character, 
make  them  active  in  religious  exercises.  But  if 
there  is  danger  on  this  side,  there  is  quite  as 
much  on  the  other.  Although  religion  does  not 
consist  in  outward  acts,  it  always  produces  them. 
Whosoever  hath  this  world's  good,  and  seeth  his 
brother  have  need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels 
of  compassion  from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love 
of  God  in  him  ?*  The  love  of  God  can  no  more 
fail  to  produce  obedience  to  his  commands,  than 
a  mother's  love  can  fail  to  produce  watchfulness 
and  care  for  her  infant.     That  man's  religion, 

*  1  John  iii.  17. 


HOLY   LIVING.  331 

therefore,  is  vain  which  expends  itself  in  ex- 
ercises that  relate  exclusively  to  his  own  salvar 
tion.  And  doubtless  many  Christians  go  halting 
all  their  days,  because  they  confine  their  atten- 
tion too  much  to  themselves.  It  is  only  by  the 
harmonious  exercise  of  all  the  graces,  of  faith 
and  love  toward  God,  and  of  justice  and  benevo- 
lence toward  men,  that  the  health  of  the  soul 
can  be  maintained  or  promoted.  It  is  not 
merely  because  the  exercise  of  benevolence 
strengthens  the  principle  of  benevolence  that 
doing  good  tends  to  make  men  better,  but  God 
has  ordained  that  he  that  watereth  shall  be 
watered  also  himself.  He  distils  his  grace  on 
those  who  labour  for  the  temporal  and  spiritual 
benefit  of  their  fellow  men,  and  who  follow  the 
example  of  the  blessed  Redeemer,  walking  with 
God  while  they  go  about  doing  good. 

True  religion,  as  we  find  it  described  in  the 
Bible,  is  then  neither  an  external  show,  nor  a 
fitful  ebullition  of  feeling.  It  is  a  permanent, 
spontaneous  and  progressive  principle  of  spiritual 
life,  influencing  the  whole  man  and  producing  all 
the  fruits  of  righteousness.  It  is  not  any  one  good 
disposition,  but  the  root  and  spring  of  all  right 
feelings  and  actions,  manifesting  itself  in  love 
and  obedience  toward  God,  in  justice  and  benevo- 
lence toward  man,  and  in  the  proper  government 
of  ourselves.  This  divine  life  can  neither  be 
obtained  nor  continued  by  any  mfere  efforts  of 
reason  or  conscience^  or  by  any  superstitious  ob- 


332  HOLT   LIVING. 

servances,  but  flows  from  our  union  with  Christ, 
•who  causes  his  Holy  Spirit  to  dwell  in  all  his 
members.  In  order  to  promote  this  divine  life, 
it  is  our  business  to  avoid  every  thing  which  has 
a  tendency  to  grieve  the  Spirit  of  all  grace,  and 
to  do  every  thing  by  which  his  sacred  influence 
on  the  heart  may  be  cherished.  It  is  by  this 
influence  that  we  are  sanctified,  for  it  leads  lis  to 
exercise  all  holy  dispositions  in  the  contempla- 
tion of  the  truth,  in  the  worship  of  God,  and  in 
the  discharge  of  all  our  relative  duties. 

This  unpretending  volume,  designed  for  the 
use  of  educated  youth,  was  written  with  the 
view  of  impressing  on  its  readers  those  great 
truths  of  revelation  which  are  immediately  con- 
nected with  practical  religion.  We  have  de- 
signed to  convince  them  that  all  skepticism  as  to 
the  divine  authority  of  the  Scriptures  is  inexcu- 
sable, inasmuch  as  the  Bible  brings  wath  it  its 
own  credentials.  It  makes  such  a  revelation  of 
the  character  of  God,  of  the  rule  of  duty  and  of 
the  plan  of  salvation  as  challenges  immediate 
assent  and  submission  to  their  truth  and  good- 
ness. It  sets  forth  the  Kedeemer  as  the  Son  of 
God  and  the  Saviour  of  sinners,  in  w^hom  the 
glory  of  God  is  so  revealed  that  those  who  refuse 
to  recognise  him  as  their  God  and  Saviour,  re- 
fuse, to  infinite  excellence,  their  confidence  and 
obedience.  In  order  that  every  mouth  may  be 
stopped,  the  Bible,  thus  replete  with  evidence  of 


HOLT   LIVING.  333 

its  divine  origin,  is  confirmed  by  all  kinds  of  ade- 
quate proofs  from  miracles,  prophecy  and  history, 
that  it  is,  indeed,  the  word  of  God. 

The  divine  authority  of  the  Scriptures  being 
established,  the  great  question  to  be  decided  by 
every  one  by  whom  they  are  known,  is,  What 
do  they  teach  as  to  the  plan  of  salvation  and  the 
rule  of  duty  ?  It  has  been  our  design  to  aid  the 
reader  in  answering  this  question  for  himself; 
to  show  him  that  the  Bible  teaches  that  we  are 
all  sinners,  and  that,  being  sinners,  we  have  lost 
the  fiivour  of  God  and  are  unable  to  effect  our 
own  redemption.  When  we  feel  that  this  is 
true  with  regard  to  ourselves,  we  are  convinced 
of  sin,  and  are  irresistibly  led  to  ask  what  we 
must  do  to  be  saved.  In  answer  to  this  question 
the  Scriptures  set  forth  Jesus  Christ  as  born  of 
a  woman,  made  under  the  law,  satisfying  its 
demands,  dying  the  just  for  the  unjust,  rising 
again  from  the  dead,  and  ascending  up  on  high 
where  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  us. 
They  teach  us  that  it  is  not  for  any  thing  done 
or  experienced  by  us,  but  solely  for  what  Christ 
has  done  for  us,  that  we  are  justified  in  the  sight 
of  God;  and  that  in  order  to  our  being  saved 
through  Christ,  we  must  accept  him  as  our 
Saviour,  not  going  about  to  establish  our  own 
rigliteousness,  but  submitting  to  the  righteous- 
ness of  God.  Those  who  thus  believe,  do,  at  tlie 
same  time  repent;  that  is,  they  turn  from  sin 
unto  God,  through  Jesus  Christ.     They  are  now 


o 


34  HOLY   LIVING. 


his  followers,  and  declare  themselves  to  he  such 
by  confessing  him  before  the  world  and  by  de- 
voutly attending  upon  those  ordinances  which 
he  has  appointed  to  be  means  of  acknowledging 
our  allegiance  to  him,  and  of  communicating  his 
grace  to  us.  The  Scriptures  further  teach  that 
our  work  is  but  begun  when  we  have  thus  re- 
nounced the  world  and  joined  ourselves  unto  the 
Lord.  The  spiritual  life  commenced  in  regenera-\ 
tion  is  carried  on  by  the  Holy  Spirit,  who  dwells 
in  all  the  people  of  God,  by  teaching  them  to 
look  to  Jesus  Christ,  as  their  living  head,  for  all 
those  supplies  of  grace  and  all  that  protection 
which  their  circumstances  require.  They  are 
thus  washed,  sanctified  and  justified  in  the  name 
of  the  Lord  Jesus,  and  by  the  Spirit  of  our  God,  i 
and  being  made  meet  for  the  inheritance  of  the' 
saints  in  light,  they  will  be  at  last  admitted  into 
God's  blissful  presence  and  enjoy  the  full  com- 
munications of  his  grace  and  love  for  ever  and 
ever. 


ANALYTICAL  INDEX. 


Aaron  as  a  priest,  160. 

Abraham,  Christ  and,  41,45;  faith 
of,  201,  272;  justification  of,  147, 
266. 

Action,  eloquence  in,  329. 

Adam,  fall  of,  56,  59,  69,  73,  167, 
227. 

Affections,  social,  63,  302-6. 

Allegiance,  civil,  243,  247,  271. 

Almsgiving,  240,  330. 

Altar,  Jewish,  212. 

Ancient  sacrifices,  274. 

Animal  life,  288, 295. 

Apochryphal  writings,  19. 

Apostasy  of  man,  69,  73,  97,  233. 

Apostles,  preaching  of,  31. 

Ascetics,  religion  of,  131. 

Atheism  a  crime,  27.  See  Unbe- 
lief. 

Atonement  under  the  law,  169, 
211,  212. 

Augsburg  Confession,  35. 

Augustin,  confessions  of,  116. 

Backsliding,  290. 

Bacon,  Francis,  194. 

Baptism,    duty    of,    243,    249-54, 

256-82. 
Belief,  foundations  of,  194;    laws 

of,  98,  100. 
Believers,  union  of  Christ  with, 

168,189,316-23,332. 


Benevolence,  duty  of,  331. 

Bible,  divine  origin  of  the,  5,  6j 
faith  in,  15;  intellectual  charac- 
teristics of,  18,19;  teaching  of, 
107. 

Birth,  the  new,  287,  292,  293,  301, 
312. 

Blind,  colours  and  the,  194. 

Blood,  a  means  of  atonement,  169. 

Body,  disease  of  the,  312;  and 
soul,  93. 

Bondage,  spirit  of,  196. 

Born  in  sin,  101. 

Cavils,  102,  103,   110,  111.     See 

Skepticism. 
Ceremonial  observances,  287,  314. 
Change  of  heart,  287,  289, 312,  327. 
Character,  how  formed,  88;  moral, 

25 ;  value  of,  20. 
Children  of  God,  102. 
Christ,  advocate,  230. 
ashamed  of,  247. 
authority  of,  245. 
character  of,  21,  22,  25,  26j 

27,  33,  39. 
confession  of,  242,  243. 
cross  of,  168-73,  184. 
curse  for  us,  208. 
death  of,  133,  236. 
devotion  of,  297. 
divinity  of>  71, 172,  248. 
335 


336 


ANALYTICAL   INDEX. 


Christ,  doctrines  of,  21,  22. 
example  of,  331. 
excellence  of,  332. 
faith  in,  322. 
glory  of,  202. 
humanity  of,  72,  171,  202. 
intercession    of,     202,    207, 

333. 
justification    through,  151, 

152,    155,    158,    159,   204, 

205,  316. 
Lord  our  righteousness,  208. 
love  of,  299,  303,  327. 
mediation  of,  229,  248. 
miracles  of,  14. 
obedience  to,  274. 
preaching  of,  237. 
predictions  concerning,  41- 

53. 
priesthood    of,    171-4,   207, 

212. 
propitiation,   179,  185,  206, 

208,  233,  248,  277,  310,  333. 
ransom,  208. 
refuge,  210. 
rejection  of,  79, 128, 187, 188, 

190,  249. 
righteousness  of,  174-77. 
sacrifice,  81,  159,  164,  165, 

179. 
.   Banctification,  316,  332. 
Saviour  of  sinners,  332. 
S'.n  of  God,  332. 
si'Irit  of,  317,  318. 
■  spiritual  head,  168. 
union    of,    with    believers, 

168,  189,  316-21,  332. 
vicarious  sufi'erings  of,  168, 

169,  202,  204,  205,  213. 
vine,  186,  319. 

work  of,  189. 
Christian  virtues,  132. 
Christianity,  faith  in,  16. 


Church,  the,  a  family,  .244;  con- 
fession to  the,  224;  history  of 
the,  34,  37,  38,  39;  organization 
of  the,  246;  testimony  of  the, 
34,  36,  37,  38. 

Church  of  England,  testimony  of 
the,  36. 

Church,  Lutheran,  testimony  of 
the,  35. 

Circumcision,  263, 265,268, 272, 273. 

Cities  of  refuge,  210. 

Citizenship,  243. 

Classification  of  knowledge,  92. 

Colours  and  the  blind,  194. 

Concealment  of  religion,  241. 

Consistency,  331. 

Condemned,  who  are,  191. 

Confession  of  Christ,  241,  266,  267; 
of  sin,  143,  220,  222,  223. 

Conflict,  the  Christian,  304. 

Conscience,  as  a  guide,  195;  awa- 
kened, 55,  83,  86,  104,  105,  110, 
111,  121,  124-26,  143,  156,  177, 
189,  196,  200,  206,  211,  217,  226, 
227,  231,  232,  134;  neglect  of,  55, 
57,  76,  77,  79,  80,  82. 

Consciousness,  93-95,  99,  102,  103, 
114,  189,  200. 

Consistency,  Christian,  295,  299. 

Conversion  of  heart,  206,  219,  234^ 
36,  286. 

Conviction  of  sin,  107-34,  216. 

Corinthians,  described,  244. 

Cornelius,  baptism  of,  265,  266. 

Cross  of  Christ,  168-73,  184. 

Curse  for  us,  208. 

Curse  of  the  law,  156,  157,  208. 

Daniel,  cited,  220,  225. 

David,  faith  of,  201 ;  house  of,  49 ; 

repentance  of,  215,  217,  218, 223, 

228. 
Day  of  Judgment,  68. 


ANALYTICAL   INDEX. 


337 


Deaf,  sounds  and  the,  194. 
Death,  eternal,  104  j    sentence  of, 

107;  spiritual,  307,'  the  penalty 

of  sin,  66,  155. 
Declension,  spiritual,  290. 
Deed,  conveyance  by,  269. 
Delay,  dangers  of,  105. 
Depravity,  326. 
Design,  evidences  of,  91. 
Despair,  121,  226,  227. 
Diseases  of  the  body,  312. 
Dispensation,  typical,  172. 
Domestic  relations,  178. 
Drunkard,  folly  of  the  77. 

Earth,  revolution  of  the,  193. 

Enthusiasm,  24,  25. 

Eunuch,  baptism  of  the,  265. 

Ephesus,  elders  of,  237. 

Esau,  cited,  215. 

Eternal  life,  188, 190,  202, 209,  307. 

Evidence,  office  of,  14,  20,  91-93, 

98,  199,  200. 
Evangelical  hope,  230,  232. 
Evil,  existence  of,  96. 
Excitement,  religious,  287,  330. 
Experience,  religious,  7. 
External  religion,  287,  291,  313, 

314,  330. 
Ezra,  prayers  of,  220,  222,  225. 

Faith,  duty,  effects,  necessity,  and 
office  of,  6, 13-34,  53-55,  92,  100, 
150,183-215,261,322. 

Fall,  effects  of  the,  56,  59,  69,  73, 
304. 

Fear,  not  desirable,  218. 

Felix  trembles,  110,  195. 

Filial  love,  178,  244,  247, 289. 

Filial  obedience,  178,  236,289. 

Free  agency,  88,  91,  94. 

Fruits  of  holiness,  288. 

Fruits  meet  for  repentance,  235. 


Fruits  of  the  Spirit.     Sec   Holy 
Spirit. 

Galatiaxs,  Paul  to  the,  152, 153. 
Gentiles,  the,  181,191. 
God,  attributes  of,  193. 
authority  of,  100. 
benevolence  of,  91,  96. 
children  of,  102. 
compassion  of,  238. 
existence  of,  28,  80,  96, 193. 
excellence  of,  112, 113,  232, 

29fi,  326. 
favour  of,  264. 
forgiveness  of,  232-34. 
glory  of,  178. 
goodness  of,  91,  96,  103,  229, 

296,  297,  326. 
grace  of,  179,  181. 
holiness    of,   108,   182,   196, 

219,221,226,231,234,326. 
incomprehensibility  of,  95. 
invitations  of,  216,  232. 
justice  of,  119,  120,  122,  123, 

182,196,201,217,226,230, 

231,  233,  234. 
law  of,  112,  113. 
long-suffering  of,  233. 
love  of,  77, 123, 181, 182, 185, 

230,  233,  238. 

mercy  of,  104,  105,  119,  120, 
122,  123,  182, 184,  227,  228, 

231,  232,  233,  235. 
oath  of,  232. 
pardon  of,  233. 
perfections  of,  178,  187,  201, 

296. 
power  of,  326. 
presence  of,  311. 
promises  of,  201,  216,  21S, 
232. 

providence  of,  311. 
purity  of,  219,  231. 


338 


ANALYTICAL   INDEX. 


God,  1  ighteousness  of,  104. 

sovereignty  of,  89,  212. 

threatenings  of,  201. 

wisdom  of,  103, 179. 

works  of,  18,  19,  34. 

worship  of,  328. 

wrath  of,  104, 106, 117. 
Good  works,  127, 133, 137, 330, 331. 
Goodness,  human,  25, 182. 
Gospel,  the,  163. 
Governments,  human,  65,  69. 
Graces,  Christian,  132. 
Grieving  the  Spirit,   78,  84,  323, 

332. 
Growth,  Christian,  290,  291,  294, 
308,  321,  325,  328,  334. 

Heart,  change  of,  234-36 ;  its  esti- 
mate of  truth,  13;  hardened  by 
neglect  of  God,  105. 

Heathen,  state  of  the,  34, 137. 

Heaven,  efforts  to  gain,  125. 

Hebrews,  Epistle  to  the,  162, 
164. 

High  priest,  Jewish,  211. 

Hindoos,  temples  of  the,  125. 

Holiness,  essential,  306,  307,  309; 
fruit  of  truth,  5;  and  faith,  186; 
and  truth,  178. 

Holiness  of  the  Bible,  19,  20,  24. 

Holy  Living,  286-334. 

Holy  Spirit,  fruits  of  the,  132, 150, 
]  96-99, 211, 262, 277, 288, 300, 306, 
315,  317,  319-27,  334;  grieving 
the,  77,  78,  80,  84,  86,  323,  332 ; 
influences  of  the,  60,  79, 129, 133, 
186,214,260,261;  testimony  of 
the,  170. 

Hope,  evangelical,  230,  232. 

Human  goodness,  25,  182. 

Human  nature,  27,  56,  219,  236. 

Humility,  221,  234. 

Hypocrisy,  240. 


Ignorance,  90,  91, 93, 101, 108,  111, 

112, 125,  231,  277,  280. 
Inability  to  repent,  102,  103. 
Infancy,  286. 
Infidelity,  53, 100. 
Israel,  exhortations  to,  84. 

Jailor,  the,  191 . 

Jews,  character  of,  26 ;  history  of, 
40,  49 ;  ignorant  of  God's  right- 
eousness, 175 ;  reject  Christ,  208. 

Job,  cited,  217. 

Joy,  spiritual,  290,  300,  323. 

Judas,  repentance  of,  218,  225, 
226,  230. 

Judgment,  Day  of,  68. 

Judgment  and  fiery  indignation, 
217. 

Judgments,  moral,  94, 193. 

Justice  satisfied  through  the  cross, 
184. 

Justification  of  the  sinner,  124, 
126, 135-87, 189;  not  by  works, 
139, 140,  144-87,  204. 

Knowledge,  limits  of,  101;   pro- 
gress in,  92. 
Koran,  faith  in,  17. 

Language,  ambiguity  of,  192, 226. 

Law,  human,  143. 

Law  of  God,  bondage  of  the,  185 ; 
condemnation  of  the,  221;  de- 
mands of  the,  221;  justification 
not  by  the,  139,  140,  154,  189; 
obedience  to  the,  189;  penalty 
of  the,  123;  righteousness  of 
the,  204;  spirituality  of  the.  111 ; 
strictness  of  the,  231;  truthful- 
ness of  the,  110. 

Laws  of  our  being,  94. 

Lawgiver,  the  divine,  65. 

Legal  spirit,  315. 


ANALYTICAL   INDEX. 


339 


Liberty,  moral,  89. 

Life    eternal,   188,   190,  191,  202, 

209,  307. 
Lord's  Supper,  249,  250,  255-85. 
Love,  various   kinds   of,  192;    to 

God,  75,  202,  219,  296-99 ;  to  our 

neighbour,  301. 
Luther,  age  of,  35 ;  convictions  of, 

116. 
Lutheran   Church,  testimony  of, 

35. 

Mariner,  the  shipwrecked,  233. 

Marriage  contract,  273. 

Maternal  love,  244,  286. 

Means,  use  of,  89;  of  sanctifica- 
tion,  311. 

Meditation,  importance  of,  327. 

Melchizedek,  priesthood  of,  171. 

Merit,  human,  182,  184. 

Messiah,  the,  161, 273,  317. 

Miracles,  as  evidence,  14,  31, 195. 

Mohammed,  character  of,  25. 

Moral  character,  88,  94;  excel- 
lence, 295,  301,  302,  305,  306, 313; 
sense,  15, 18;  evil,  74. 

Morality,  108, 126,  323. 

Moravians,  Wesley  and  the,  131. 

Mosaic  dispensation,  149, 153, 172; 
ritual,  149,  273,  276. 

Moses,  faith  of,  201;  law  of,  149; 
writings  of,  149. 

Multitude  before  the  throne,  213. 

Natural  man,  the,  27,  56. 
Natural  philosophy,  90,  92,  93,  98, 

325. 
Nature,  human,  27,  56,  219,  236. 
Nehemiah,    confessions    of,    222, 

225,  229. 
New  birth,  286, 287, 292, 301, 327. 
New  Testament,  age  of  the,  38. 
Newton,  Sir  I.,  23, 194. 


Obedience,  filial,  186,  227 ,  to  the 
divine  law,  174,  189,  227. 

Objections,  dishonest,  102-4. 

Old  Testament,  history  of,  40  ;  on 
good  works,  144, 148;  on  restitu- 
tion, 224. 

Ostentation  in  religion,  240. 

Parade  in  religion,  240. 

Parental  affection,  192;  discip- 
line, 236. 

Paul,  character  of,  126,  175,  266; 
conversion  of,  198;  teachings 
of,  31,  32,  61,  63,  110,  111,  137-57, 
166, 175,  198,  237,  242,  257,  263» 
293,  314,  316. 

Peace  through  faith,  183,191. 

Penitent  thief,  unbaptized,  266. 

Pentecost,  day  of,  254. 

Perceptions,  various,  94. 

Perdition,  final,  106. 

Perfections,  divine,  187. 

Personal  unworthiness,  114,  115, 
118, 119. 

Peter,  confession  of,  197;  denial 
by,  247;  preaching  of,  243. 

Pharisees,  condemned,  240. 

Pharaoh,  repentance  of,  230 

Phenomena  of  nature,  90,  93. 

Philosophy,  false,  99. 

Physical  investigations,  90,  91, 
93,  98. 

Prayer,  duty  of,  247,  305,  324,  328, 
329;  formal,  127,  314;  secret, 
240. 

Preaching,  evangelical,  157,  237. 

Priesthood  of  Christ,  171. 

Procrastination  of  repentance, 
105. 

Prodigal  son,  211. 

Profession  of  religion,  240-85. 

Progress,  spiritual,  290,  291,  294, 
308,  321,  325,  328,  334. 


340 


ANALYTICAL   INDEX. 


Prophecy,   the    argument    from, 

40-53, 195. 
Prophets,  faith  of  the,  201. 
Propitiation.     See  Christ. 
Protestant  countries,  126. 
Providence  of  God,  92,  97,  104. 
Punishment,  eternal,  66-68. 

Rainbow,  the,  256. 

Reason,  uses  of,  62,  311. 

Rebel,  guilt  of  the,  69,  75. 

Redemption,  mystery  of,  70,  71, 
156-63,  168,  179,  187,  188,  207, 
218,  238,  309,  318,  321,  333. 

Reformers,  the,  35,  36. 

Refuge,  cities  of,  210. 

Regeneration,  spiritual,  61,  129, 
132,  266,  286,  287,  288,  293. 

Religion,  profession  of,  240-85. 

Remorse,  115-17, 128, 218,  226,  227. 

Repentance,  105, 143,  215-39. 

Responsibility  to  God,  101, 102. 

Restitution,  224, 235. 

Resurrection,  the,  308. 

Revelation,  evidence  of  a,  100. 

Righteousness,  man's,  175,  333 ; 
hungering  after,  203;  original, 
62;  self,  124-26;  of  Christ,  174. 

Romans,  Paul  to  the,  153. 

Sabbath,  observance  of  the,  270. 

Sacraments,  the,  250-85 

Sacred  writers,  the,  39, 178, 181. 

Sacrifice.     See  Christ. 

Sacrifices,  doctrine  of,  159,  164, 
274. 

Saints,  character  of,  245. 

Salvation,  holiness  essential  to, 
306-10;  plan  of,  121;  not  by 
works,  103,  124-34,  139, 142, 150, 
174,196,  212,330;  rejection  of, 
238. 

Samaria,  woman  of,  21. 


Samuel,  faith  of,  201. 

Sanctification,  292,  311,  316,  323, 
S25. 

Sanctuary,  the,  329. 

Scriptural  account  of  sin,  109, 
111,113,114. 

Scriptures,  divine  origin  of  the, 
5,  6,  13,  17-19,  32,  39,  177,  332; 
faith  in  the,  195;  truths  taught 
by  the,  7, 182. 

Secret  discipleship,  241,  245. 

Secret  prayer.     See  Prayer. 

Self-abhorrence,  203,  220. 

Self-agency,  88,  91,  94. 

Self-approbation,  88. 

Self-complacency,  221,  234. 

Self-condemnation,  88,  203,  219, 
222,  226, 234. 

Self-denial,  125, 130,  196,303,304. 

Self-justification,  221. 

Self-knowledge,  235. 

Self-love,  301. 

Self-restraint,  311. 

Senses,  testimony  of  the,  99, 100. 

Serpent  lifted  up,  209. 

Simon  Magus,  faith  of,  191. 

Sin,  character  and  prevalence  of, 
56-134,333;  confession  of,  222; 
conviction  of,  216;  sorrow  for, 
115-18,  128.  See  also.  Con- 
science; Remorse. 

Skepticism,  6,  26,  87,  99,  332. 

Social  virtues,  302-6. 

Solomon,  prayer  of,  216. 

Sophistical  objections,  87, 104. 

Sorrow  for  sin.  See  Conscience; 
Sin;  Remorse. 

Soul,  operations  of  the,  192;  spirit- 
uality of  the,  91;  union  of  the 
body  and  the,  93. 

Sounds  and  the  deaf,  194. 

Sovereignty  of  God,  89,  212. 

Spirit,  Holy.    See  Holy  Spirit. 


ANALYTICAL    INDEX. 


841 


Spiritual  regeneration,  61,  129, 
132,  266,  287,  288,  293. 

Striving  of  the  Spirit,  77,  78,  80, 
84,  86,  323,  332. 

Submission  to  the  plan  of  sal- 
vation, 212. 

Temperaments,  various,  107. 

Treason,  guilt  of,  69,  75. 

Tribulation,  glory  in,  202. 

Truth,  apprehension  of,  15;  eflfects 
of,  5, 183, 201,  203;  evidences  of, 
98,100,  193,  194;  excellence  of, 
197,  200;  power  of,  104;  pre- 
sentation of,  278;  and  faith, 
193;  and  holiness,  5,  178. 

Typical  dispensation,  172. 


Unbelief,  196, 218  ,•  a  sin,  27, 29, 33, 
34,53,54,78,234;  causes  of,  26, 27. 

Unconverted  professors,  202,  265. 

Union  of  Christ  and  believers. 
See  Christ. 

Un  worthiness,  personal,  114, 119. 

Vibrations  of  the  atmosphere,  325. 

Wesley  and  the  Moravians,  131. 
Wicked,  faith  of  the,  195. 
Word  of  God  as  a  test,  234. 
Works,  good.     See  Salvation. 
Works  of  God,  18,  34. 
World,  love  of  the,  131. 
Worship,  spiritual,  278. 
Wrath,  apprehension  of,  1M» 


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Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


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